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Reindeer Herding and Environmental Change in the Oymyakon District, Sakha Republic

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Reindeer Herding and Environmental Change in the Oymyakon District, Sakha Republic CZECH POLAR REPORTS 5 (1): 33-43, 2015 Reindeer herding and environmental change in the Oymyakon District, Sakha Republic Atsushi Nakada* Hokkaido Museum of Northern Peoples, 309-1 Shiomi, Abashiri-shi, Hokkaido 093- 0042, Japan Abstract The aim of this study is to assess the influence of environmental change on reindeer herding in the Oymyakon District in the eastern part of the Sakha Republic. To investigate environmental change and its influence on reindeer herding, semi-structured interviews were conducted at two villages in the Oymyakon District, from February 24th to March 8th, 2013. As a result of the interview, meteorological, topographical, and ecological changes and their influence on general livelihood were evaluated by local residents to a greater or lesser degree. Part of the climatic changes felt by local residents was supported meteorological data set. Generally speaking, local reindeer herders and a manager of reindeer herding enterprise did not think these climatic, topographical and biological impacts were serious problems for reindeer herding. More serious problems, in their consideration, were social and economic difficulties. Judging from these results and the fluctuation of the number of domestic reindeer, even though meteorological variables are gradually changing, serious environmental changes have not generally been noted by local residents as yet. It can be concluded that the environmental changes do not appear to have exerted intense harmful influences on reindeer herding in Oymyakon District so far. Key words: Semi-structured interview, local residents, climate change, Siberia, Russia DOI: 10.5817/CPR2015-1-4 ——— Received June 30, 2015, accepted July 8, 2015. *Corresponding author: Atsushi Nakada <[email protected]> Acknowledgements: I gratefully acknowledge V. D. Ingat’eva, S. I. Boyakova (Institute of the Humanities and the Indigenous Peoples of the North) and I. M. Okhlopkov (Institute for Biological Problems of the Cryolithozone) of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk, for their support and assistance to whole of this study. I also express gratitude towards all the interviewees in Oymyakon District for their acceptance and cooperation. This study was conducted as a part of research project “Global Warming and the Human-Nature Dimension in Siberia” (C-07) (2009–2014) organized by RIHN (Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan). 33 A. NAKADA Introduction Climate change in northern areas that arisen that global warming, related climate may be induced by global warming may change, and the indirect effects of these affect not only a whole ecosystem, but also would exert a harmful influence on the the ecology of individual animal and plant physical conditions and ecology of wild species. Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), and domestic reindeer through changes in which may be the most important domestic quality of pasture, availability of forage animal among many northern indigenous (Klein 1991, Weladji et al. 2002). Conse- peoples, is no exception from the rule. To quently, reindeer herding is also affected estimate the influence of environmental by these changes (ACIA 2004, Oskal changes on reindeer herding, a research 2008, Weladji et Holand 2006). was conducted through investigation of the Reindeer herding is undertaken through- perceptions of local residents, fluctuations out the vast area of northern Eurasia, and of meteorological variables, and statistic several studies have been conducted deal- processing of the number of domestic ing with the relationship between reindeer reindeer in the area of Oymyakon District. herding and environmental changes both Reindeer herding has been a way of life broadly and locally (Rees et al. 2003, in the area for about 3 000 years (Vainsh- 2008, Baskin 2005, Forbes et Stammler tein 1980). Recently, approximately 2.5 2009, Klokov 2012, Yoshida 2012). How- million reindeer are herded by nearly ever, in eastern Siberia, such studies are 100,000 people belonging to more than 20 scarce at the moment. ethnic groups in the 9 nations of the To fill the gap in general knowledge on circumpolar region (Oskal et al. 2009). It the likely impact of ongoing environ- is an important subsistence activity for mental changes on reindeer herding, field indigenous peoples living in northern research was conducted in the Oymyakon Eurasia, not only economically for meat District, Sakha Republic in eastern Siberia. production (Baskin 2000, Jernsletten et The aim of this paper was to estimate the Klokov 2002, Klokov 2012) but also cul- influence of environmental change on rein- turally. Reindeer herding helps indigenous deer herding through the perception of people to preserve their traditional way of local residents, in reference to the fluctu- life (Ulvevadet et Klokov 2004, Muller- ation of climatic variables and statistical Wille et al. 2006, Oskal et al. 2009). data on the numbers of domestic reindeer. In recent years some concerns have Material and Methods Research was performed in Oymyakon occurred in this district; −71.2°C, mean air District, situated in the eastern part of the temperature is from −41 to −51°C in Sakha Republic (Fig. 1). The gross area of January and from +8 to +19°C in July, and the district is 92 000 km2, and a greater mean annual precipitation is from approxi- part of the district is mountainous. The mately 150 mm – 200 mm in the valley River Indigirka runs through its central region and approximately 600 mm in the part. Oymyakon District is well known for mountain region (Government of Sakha being severely cold in winter, having won Republic (Yakutia) and the Institute of the name “pole of coldness” (poljus Human Studies, Academy of Science, kholoda). The coldest air temperatures Sakha Republic (Yakutia) 2007). Vege- ever recorded in the northern hemisphere tation cover of the Oymyakon District is 34 REINDEER HERDERS AND CLIMATE CHANGE categorized as a mountainous stony desert, and its influence on reindeer herding, tundra and a near-tundra sparse wood semi-structured interviews with local resi- types. Throughout the area, sparse forests dents were conducted, using open-ended of northern mountain taiga larch prevail, questions, at Uchugei and Sordnnokh composed of Larix cajanderi and L. (Orto-Balagan) Village in Oymyakon Dis- gmelinii, and, as the altitude increases, trict from February 24th to March, 8th, these forests are replaced by the shrub- 2013. The Uchugei settlement is situated beries formed mainly by Pinus pumila and in the southwestern part of the district and mountain tundra, stony and rubbly scree, Sordnnokh is located approximately 100km and detritus (Kuznetsova et al. 2010). east of it. Interviews addressed, among The district has a population of 14 700, other things, background of interviewees, including populations of the following their subjective perceptions of changes in ethnic groups: Russian (56.8%), Sakha meteorological variables (air temperature, (22.8%), Ukrainian (10.2%), Even (2.7%), precipitation, and extreme events), topo- Evenki (0.4%), and others (7.1%) (Gov- graphical features (landslide, subsidence, ernment of Sakha Republic (Yakutia) and flood, flow path), and fauna and flora, over the Institute of Human Studies, Academy about the last 20 years in the nearby area of Science, Sakha Republic (Yakutia) in particular. In addition, current problems 2007). There are 14 787 heads of domestic of their general livelihoods, including sub- reindeer, 72 reindeer herders and 26 tent sistence activities besides reindeer herding workers in the district (Osipova et al. such as hunting, fishing, and gathering 2010). were investigated as well. To investigate environmental change Fig. 1. Map of the study site. 35 A. NAKADA Furthermore, for supplementary work, annual and monthly averages were calcu- two indicators were focused on, namely lated for the period 1960–2010. Data were (1) fluctuations of meteorological varia- then surveyed and inspected transition bles and (2) statistical data of domestic according to season: spring (March, April, reindeer numbers. These were examined May), summer (June, July, August), au- individually, and relationships and inter- tumn (September, October, November), actions with interviews of inhabitants were and winter (December, January, February). considered. The fluctuation of numbers of domestic Climate change was estimated by the reindeer in the entire Sakha Republic and fluctuations of meteorological variables Oymyakon District from 1980 to 2010 (as (mean daily temperature and daily precipi- presented by the Ministry of Agriculture of tation) in Oymyakon District from 1960 to Sakha Republic, Osipova et al. 2010) were 2010. Data sets were acquired from examined to confirm the trend and a de- NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmos- gree of reindeer herding success in the dis- pheric Administration). From the data sets, trict. Results Semi-structured Interviews Six local residents were interviewed, mental changes in the area to a greater or being males from 25 to 68 years old (see lesser extent. Recognition of changes in air Table 1). Four of them were of the Even temperature had been noted by four ethnicity; the other were Sakha. Five were interviewees (B, D, E. F), who all registered as residents of Uchugei, and recognized warming in summer; three of three of them were reindeer herders (A, B, them (D, E, F) were also aware of cooling F), who spent most of their life time close in winter. As to precipitation, two inter- to pasture with reindeer herds, away
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