Reindeer and caribou are native to the arctic, sub-arctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions. They once teemed across Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America, but they are becoming scarcer. There were 5 million arctic reindeer 20 years ago. When the American Geophysical Research Union recounted them the other day, they found only 2.1 million of these animals left.
Has the Law of Survival Let the Arctic Reindeer Down?
Unfortunately the law that the fittest survive may have done so. These ancient creatures the arctic people depend on for food, clothing and shelter have a ‘blind spot’ and are not adapting to global warming.
You see, for millions of years they have survived by nibbling tiny tundra plants that crouch low to escape freezing winds. Now these are growing taller and the arctic reindeer can’t get their minds around the change. Their problem is it takes thousands of years to modify a species, and climate change has never happened this fast before. This does not bode well for other species nearing extinction.
How Will This Affect the Indigenous People of the Northern Regions?
Reindeer play an important economic role in the life of the Saami, Nenet, Khant, Evenk, Yukaghir, Chukchi, and Koryak nations. Domestication began between the bronze and iron ages. The people still ride them, use them as draft animals, and feast on their meat.
What will become of the arctic reindeer and the people of these places? Does anyone with wealth and power care about the Saami, Nenet, Khant, Evenk, Yukaghir, Chukchi, and Koryak nations anymore?
They probably don’t care at all right now in fact. But they will feel the pain someday when their own food chains start to collapse. Although it may be too late by then to turn the tide. Perhaps they should start caring now?
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Preview Image: Svalbard Island Reindeer
