Climate Tussles: Challenges Facing Norwegian Reindeer Herders
The climate crisis is presenting unprecedented challenges for reindeer breeders in Norway's northern territories. Research conducted at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim indicates potential issues with breeding, according to recent reports.
Navigating Difficulties
Turmoil in migration routes is a common problem, as Anna-Laila Danielsen, author of the aforementioned master’s thesis, shares. The absence of frigid enough temperatures for lakes and rivers to harden, thereby allowing the reindeer to traverse on the ice, poses a challenge. This interferes with their journey to seasonal grazing grounds.
The tundra and taiga of the Arctic circle is where reindeer, the only domesticated deer species, thrive. Herders have reported incidents of a light dusting of snow over the ice that has not yet solidified. This leads the animals into venturing onto the unstable ice, causing them to plunge through. Hence, some herders are mulling the idea of constructing suspension bridges to aid their reindeer in crossing the unfrozen rivers.
Lack of Permafrost and Climactic Fluctuations
Permafrost has diminished, and winter temperatures fluctuate perilously close to the freezing point. These changes result in numerous thin layers of ice on the snow. This multi-layered icy surface becomes incredibly hard, making it difficult for reindeer to reach and consume food buried beneath. Herders are left with no other option but to procure and distribute supplementary feed, which can be quite costly and time-consuming, especially in the wilderness regions.
Competition and Overcrowding
Simultaneously, herders have encountered competition and overcrowding at artificial feeding sites. Dominant reindeer can vitally affect weaker counterparts by seizing their access to food. In the wild, the weaker herd members would usually relocate to polish the grazing areas. However, this is not an achievable solution within confined feeding arenas. Consequently, herders have devised specialized feeding contraptions to tackle this predicament.
Refer Also:
- The climate crisis serves as a detrimental influence on reindeer reproduction in parts of northern Norway, prompting some herders to explore the possibility of building suspension bridges to help their animals traverse the unfreezable waterways.
- The effects of the climate crisis have manifested as herding difficulties for reindeer breeders in Norway's Trondheim district, creating obstacles for the reindeer to navigate their traditional migration paths on account of deficient ice coverage in rivers.
- The master's thesis, penned by Anna-Laila Danielsen, underlines the linkage between the climate crisis and its detrimental effects on reindeer herders in Norway. The changing climate complicates their access to food sources as the ice on rivers grows excessively hard to penetrate.
- As the climate crisis deteriorates, herders in Norway's northern territories encounter challenges cross-checking their reindeer's access to seasonal pastures due to the lack of deer-traversable ice in rivers. This has precipitated an increased reliance on artificial feeding infrastructures.
- The emergence of competition and overcrowding at these artificial feeding stations has become the dominant issue for reindeer herders in Norway's northern territories. Dominant animals, in this context, relegate weaker counterparts away from food supplies, exacerbating issues at these confined feeding areas.
- The climate crisis in Norway has necessitated herders to allocate additional resources, including time and money, towards procuring and distributing supplementary food for their herds. The unfavorable climate conditions have eroded natural food sources available to the reindeer.
