The Sámi people want Sweden to protect its reindeer. Here’s why

Nov 27, 2023

Reindeers are herded by a Sami person riding a snow scooter on the Hardangervidda plain near Kautokeino in northern Norway.

Over 10,000 reindeer have been killed by vehicles on Sweden's roads in the past five years, according to police statistics. Image: Reuters/Lise Aserud/SCANPIX

Charlotte Edmond

Senior Writer, Forum Agenda

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The Indigenous Sámi population in Sweden is calling for greater protection for reindeer.
Increasing numbers of the animals are being killed on the country’s roads, drawn by the salt spread to make travel safer.
The vast majority of lands inhabited by Indigenous communities are well preserved, according to the World Economic Forum, demonstrating the importance of Indigenous people in protecting nature.

Sweden’s Indigenous Sámi people are calling for greater protection for reindeer, which are being killed in their thousands on the country’s roads.

Over the past five years, more than 10,000 reindeer have been struck and killed by vehicles on Sweden's roads, according to police statistics. The reindeer are often drawn to the roads to lick the salt used to improve safety and traction.

The Sámi Parliament is urging the construction of more wildlife fences and nature passages to enable safer road crossing by the reindeer.

Curved roads and moorlands are a particular issue, says Sámi Parliament reindeer husbandry committee chairman Jan Rannerud, and while wildlife passages have helped, they are quite costly to build, he says.

Protecting reindeer

The Sámi were the first Indigenous people of Northern Europe and Scandinavia, with Norway and Sweden being home to the biggest populations. They have a rich cultural heritage linked to reindeer herding, often leading a semi-nomadic lifestyle due to reindeer migration.

Reindeer are not endangered, but populations in some areas have been hit heavily by factors such as hunting, disease, a lack of food and the climate crisis.

Graph illustrating the share of indigenous and non-indigenous communities by various categories.

Many Indigenous communities have mastered how to live alongside nature.

Capturing Indigenous knowledge

The role of Indigenous communities such as the Sámi in protecting and restoring wildlife and ecosystems is increasingly being recognized. A third of Earth’s territories are home to Indigenous peoples and local community lands. Over 90% of these areas are in good or fair ecological condition, according to research by the World Economic Forum, which is a testament to the effectiveness of long-term Indigenous stewardship in managing complex natural environments.

Discover

How does the World Economic Forum encourage biological diversity?

In the last 100 years, more than 90 percent of crop varieties have disappeared from farmers’ fields, and all of the world’s 17 main fishing grounds are now being fished at or above their sustainable limits.

These trends have reduced diversity in our diets, which is directly linked to diseases or health risk factors, such as diabetes, obesity and malnutrition.

One initiative which is bringing a renewed focus on biological diversity is the Tropical Forest Alliance.

This global public-private partnership is working on removing deforestation from four global commodity supply chains – palm oil, beef, soy, and pulp and paper.

The Alliance includes businesses, governments, civil society, indigenous people and communities, and international organizations.

Enquire to become a member or partner of the Forum and help stop deforestation linked to supply chains.

Infographic illustrating the estimated number of tundra caribou and wild reindeer.

Reindeer are not endangered but there has been a drastic decline in numbers due to hunting, disease and the climate crisis.

Embedding this traditional ecological knowledge and empowering Indigenous people to become involved in nature-based solutions is a key part of our ability to restore and conserve nature.

The Forum’s report – titled Embedding Indigenous Knowledge in the Conservation and Restoration of Landscapes – puts forward a set of principles to help inform how investors can best engage Indigenous peoples and use their knowledge in the conservation and restoration of landscapes.

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