The reindeer, long adapted to the icy rhythms of the Arctic, are now struggling as climate change rapidly alters their fragile environment. Warmer temperatures cause rain to fall instead of snow, which then freezes into thick layers of ice over the tundra. This blocks access to the lichen and moss they rely on for food. Migration routes become treacherous, breeding seasons shift, and insect populations surge, further weakening already stressed herds. In response, reindeer herders, who have lived in harmony with these animals for generations, are now forced to buy and provide expensive pellets just to keep their herds alive through winter. Now, both reindeer and herders are trying to adapt to a landscape that no longer follows the patterns they once trusted.
Thanks to my dear friend Danel Oskal, for showing me his world.
