Equipped to improve sustainability of reindeer husbandry and Sami society

Could you provide a brief overview of your project – what are the main objectives and expected outcomes?

"The purpose of our project EQUIP is to monitor the survival and mortality of reindeer calves from summer calf marking to autumn slaughter. In later years several herding communities have experienced an increased loss of calves during this time period. Some of these increased losses may be explained by predation, as number of predators has increased significantly in the reindeer herding area over the past 40 years. However in some herding communities herders say that predation cannot explain all losses. During late summer, grazing is usually good and the calf is big enough to escape predators. There may be several reasons for increased calf loss, but increased disturbance and stress and poor-quality pastures lead to poorer growth and lower body condition, which in turn can increase the susceptibility of reindeer calves to infectious diseases, including climate-sensitive pathogens". 

"These cumulative pressures may thus result in a "perfect storm" risking driving the herds towards collapse. Good body condition, demographic stability, and genetic variability in a population may be a way to cope with increased pressures. The climate change thus requires a social-ecological system perspective operating on several spatial and temporal scales. The aim of EQUIP is, in collaboration with three Sámi reindeer herding communities, to monitor calf mortality and survival and address links to predation, parasites, infectious agents, competing land use and genetic variation, and we will seek solutions to alleviate the negative pressures on reindeer husbandry".

How does the research relate to the One Health concept?

"Our project seeks to find explanations for reindeer health and survival in relation to multiple stressors which threaten to push the reindeer husbandry system toward collapse, which, in turn, increases stress and affects the psycho-social environment of the herders and, consequently, Sami society. With excessively high calf losses, herders will struggle to retain the best animals and build a herd with a strong structure (considering age and sex). If we can increase knowledge and find solutions to address these problems, we hope to improve the sustainability of reindeer husbandry, reduce stress on the herders, and help maintain the cultural and economic viability of Sami society".

What do you consider the key challenges and opportunities in your research area in relation to the forests and health?

Our projects gathers data from herding communities with summer pastures in the alpine mountain region or in the forest and earlier research have shown that for example some parasites might be more common in forest areas. The chance to find cool and insect free areas during warm summer days might also be difficult for forest reindeer as the old growth forests which stay cool and are preferred during these conditions are cut down. This makes it important to compare preconditions for reindeer in relation to these environments.