The world’s Reindeer and Caribou are classified as a single species, Rangifer tarandus. Reindeer is the European name for the species while in North America the species is known as Caribou.

Identification of subspecies has changed over time. Groves and Grubb (2011) listed 14 sub-species of which two are extinct: R.t. eogroenlandicus and R.t. dawsoni. In Russia, the use of subspecies differs from Groves and Grubb (2011) as R.t. angustirostris is recognised although not all scientists support this (Rozhkov et al. 2020). The R.t. buskensis is not distinguished at all (I. Mizin pers. comm.).

Three of these subspecies are found in Europe:
- Eurasian tundra reindeer, Rangifer tarandus tarandus (Linneaus, 1758)
- Eurasian forest reindeer, Rangifer tarandus fennicus (Lønnberg, 1909)
- Svalbard reindeer, Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus Vrolik, 1829

In addition, the Novaya Zemlya reindeer, Rangifer tarandus pearsoni (Lydekker, 1903), is now listed as a separate subspecies (Mizin et al. 2018).

The subspecies are grouped in three ecotypes (Whitehead 1972). In Europe all three ecotypes are represented: Eurasian tundra reindeer represents the tundra ecotype, the Eurasian Forest reindeer complies with the forest ecotype, whereas the Svalbard reindeer and the Novaya Zemlya reindeer are representatives of the high Arctic island ecotype.

The current diversity of Rangifer resulted from local adaptations, which followed large-scale changes in distribution as continental glaciations advanced and retreated during the Pleistocene (Yannic et al. 2014). Analyses of mitochondrial and nucleotide DNA reveal that the last glaciation period (about 115,000 – 12, 000 yrs BP), called Weichselian in Europe contributed to the division into two main genetic lineages (Flagstad and Røed 2003). The Euro-Beringian lineage, which is the most diverse, expanded rapidly during the Last Glaciation (Røed et al. 2019, Taylor et al. 2021). At its maximum distribution, the lineage covered most of the Northern Eurasian continent (Kahlke 2014).

The subspecies designations are largely based on morphometric measurements, antler architecture and behaviour, and are partly inconsistent with current understanding of evolutionary relationships and ecology based on genetic markers (Flagstad and Røed 2003, Røed et al. 2019). However, in the context of conservation and management, recognisable and functional ‘conservation units’ or ‘evolutionary significant units’ are essential. We will refer to recognizable conservation and subspecies units throughout this assessment as these form the basis for assessing the species status.

European regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)
EU 27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

In Europe, Reindeer are found in small pockets in south-central Norway, in the middle part of Finland and in the northern European part of Russia, as well as on the Svalbard and Novaya Zemlya archipelagos. The species is Least Concern for both Europe and for the EU 27 Member States. However, at subspecies and conservation unit level the situation is complex.

The tundra Reindeer, subspecies R.t. tarandus, is still fairly widespread and abundant, counting around 25,000 winter heads (Miljødirektiratet 2022a) found in south-central Norway. The population size has been stable the last decades. The subspecies was in 2021 assessed as Near Threatened by the Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre (Artsdatabanken 2022).

The Svalbard subspecies, R.t. platyrhynchus, is assessed as Least Concern (Artsdatabanken 2022). Its total population is estimated to c. 22,000 in 2019 (Miljødirektiratet 2022b) and has increased slightly in the last decades.

Finland is the only EU country that hosts Reindeer, subspecies R.t. fennicus. Wild Reindeer went extinct in Finland in the early 1900s and has recovered slowly after the Second World War by migration from Russian Karelia and introductions. The Finnish population, divided into two main populations, is small, counting around (c. 2,800 individuals) (Suomenpeura 2022). The eastern population showed a marked decline in the early 2000s (Kojola et al. 2021), whereas the western has increased slightly the two last decades (Suomenpeura 2022). It is listed as “Near Threatened” in the 2019 Red List of Finnish Species (Red List Finnish Species 2019).

In Russia, the Reindeer are now separated into two isolated subpopulations: Karelia and East European estimated to be around 10,000 heads (Korolev et al. 2021), and the Kola Peninsula – 2,000-2,300, Karelia Republic – 2,300-2,400 (Panchenko et al. 2021), Arkhangelsk region – 1,000-1,200, Komi Republic – 4,000-4,500 (Korolev et al. 2021). The Novaya Zemlya subspecies, R.t. pearsoni, is Endangered under C2a(ii). The undetermined number in the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago, counts less than 5,000 individuals (I. Mizin pers. comm.). All groups and subspecies of Reindeer living in the European part of Russia are listed in the Red Book (Red Data Book of the Russian Federation 2021).

Today, Reindeer are found in Europe in small pockets in south-central Norway (covering a total of around 50,000 km²), on Svalbard (20,000 km²), central Finland (55,000 km²), and in the northern European part of Russia (250,000 km²), as well as Novaya Zemlya (30,000 km²). Indeed, in Europe, wild subpopulations of the Reindeer have a fragmented distribution. In south-central Norway, the range is fragmented into 24 management units, the largest being Hardangervidda covering 8,100 km², followed by Setesdal Ryfylke (6,100 km²), Ottadalsområdet (4,550 km²) and Rondane (3,600 km²).

Svalbard Reindeer (R. t. platyrhynchus) inhabit most of the non-glaciated areas of the Svalbard Archipelago with the largest ranges found on Nordenskiöld Land, Nordaustlandet, Edgeøya and Barentsøya (Le Moullec et al. 2019). In Finland, wild forest Reindeer occur in two isolated subpopulations, one in the west and one in eastern Finland. The Kainuu population bordering Russia inhabits around 15,000 km², whereas the western population found in Suomenselkä ranges within an area of around 40,000 km² (I. Kojola pers. comm.).

In Russia, the forest Reindeer are now separated into two isolated populations: Karelia and East European (Mizin et al. unpubl. and Danilov et al.2018), those populations themselves being considerably fragmented covering an estimated range of 120,000 km². On the Kola Peninsula, the western mountain-tundra Reindeer population is mainly found within the Lapland State Nature Reserve (19,000 km²). The Novaya Zemlya subspecies R.t. pearsoni is found on both the northern and southern islands with an estimated range of 30,000 km² available.

Semi-domesticated Reindeer are widespread in the northern part of Fennoscandia and in the European part of Russia, with a winter population of around 800,000 (Holand et al. 2022). Reindeer were introduced to eastern Iceland in the late 1700s where a feral population exists in the eastern part of Iceland counting around 5,000 heads (Skarphedinn 2018). The ranges of these semi-domesticated populations and the Icelandic feral population are not shown on the distribution map.

Globally, Rangifer tarandus has a circumpolar distribution inhabiting high arctic, the tundra and the taiga regions of northern Europe, Siberia and North America, across the Holarctic (Gunn 2016). Its range covers many millions of km² in Alaska, Canada and Siberia. However, its functional range is shrinking and the total population has been slightly declining in the last decades.

The estimated winter population of Tundra Reindeer (R. t. tarandus) in southern Norway is approximately 25,000 wild Reindeer in southern Norway fragmented into 24 populations, the largest being Hardangervidda (10,000) (https://www.villrein.no/om-villreinomrdene). The population trend in Norway is believed to be stable.

The Svalbard population was estimated in 2019 to be around 22,000 and has been slightly increasing in the last decades (Miljødirektiratet 2022b). In Finland, forest Reindeer (subspecies R. t. fennicus) was driven to extinction in the early 1900s. Based on movements from Russian Karelia and introductions, two main populations have been established. However, forest Reindeer remain very rare in Finland counting about 800 in the eastern, Kainuu, subpopulation bordering Russia and 2,000 individuals in the western, Suomenselkä, subpopulation, (Suomenpeura 2022). The Kainuu population declined in the early 2000s but has stabilised in the last years (Kojola et al. 2021) whereas the Suomenselkä population has increased in the two last decades. The total number of Reindeer in the European part of Russia, according to the last expert estimates, is small - less than 10,000 individuals in five groups of the mainland (from the Kola Peninsula to the Ural Mountains) (Korolev and Mamontov 2021) and an undetermined number, subspecies R.t. pearsoni, in the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago (less than 5,000; I. Mizin pers. comm.). Numbers in European Russia are declining, and Reindeer are now absent from large tracts of tundra and taiga. The forest Reindeer are now separated into two isolated populations: Karelia and East European, estimated up to 2,500 and to 4,500 heads, respectively (Korolev et al. 2021), both being considerably fragmented. On the Kola Peninsula, two Reindeer populations count around 2,300 individuals. The western is called mountain-tundra Reindeer counting around 800 individuals (Panchenko et al. 2021). This is probably a form of native wild Reindeer of Kola Peninsula (Mizin pers. comm.). The taxonomic status of wild Reindeer of Arkhangelsk province and Komi Republic, where probably both tundra and forest Reindeer are found, remains open. All groups and subspecies of Reindeer living in the European part of Russia are listed in the Red Data Book (2021).

In 2016 the total population of wild Rangifer is estimated to around 2.9 million (Gunn 2016).

Rangifer tarandus inhabits arctic and subarctic tundra, open alpine habitats, and open boreal forest. Reindeer have adapted to these harsh and low productive but highly seasonal environments by developing flexible foraging and behavioural strategies, including seasonal movements (at different scales). During winter, Reindeer feed heavily on lichens, ground lichens as well as arboreal lichens, if available. The summer forage contains grass, sedges, herbs and leaves of willows and birch, while in autumn they also feed on mushrooms.

Rangifer’s behaviour, physiology and life history have been formed to efficiently acquire and process nutrients and to accumulate energy reserves during a short but lush summer and to withstand the upcoming harsh and thermal stressful winter conditions.

The former Reindeer habitat through the mainland of northern Europe is heavily fragmented and is continuously being encroached by expanding human activities. Today loss of habitats is considered as the main threat to the remaining mainland populations. The green shift will intensify the exploitation of renewable energy and mineral resources and hence increase the pressure on the range. This will lead to cumulative effects (see e.g. Vistnes et al. 2008) which may influence range use and population dynamics.

Poaching and habitat fragmentation are major threats in the Russian Federation (Red Data Book 2021). Hybridisation with semi-domesticated Reindeer is a potential problem for several subspecies and subpopulations in Finland, Norway and Russia. The Reindeer on Novaya Zemlya have partly been mixed with semi-domesticated Reindeer (Mizin et al. 2018). In Norway, only four populations are regarded as not mixed with semi-domesticated Reindeer (Røed 2005).

In 2016 the first Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) case in free-ranging cervids outside North America was detected in a wild Reindeer population in south-central Norway followed by several more cases (Ytrehus et al. 2021). If CWD is established in Norwegian Reindeer populations, this may represent a dramatic threat to their viability.

The genetic variation in Svalbard Reindeer is rather low probably caused by genetic bottlenecks and genetic drift as also seen in the Norwegian subpopulation (Rondane/Dovre) (Kvie et al. 2016). Indeed, fragmented and isolated populations with limited genetic variation may have reduced potential to adapt to a changing climate (Røed et al. 2019).

Climate change is anticipated to increase winter precipitation in form of heavy snow fall and more frequent rain-on-snow events which will render the ground vegetation layer inaccessible. The “shrubification” of the vegetation caused by a warmer climate (Verma et al. 2020) may degrade the grazing value of the ground lichen-rich winter range. Increased insect harassment and heat stress in summer in combination with reduction in relief and cooling habitats, i.e. snow spots and glaciers, may hamper the animals’ summer growth. Further, a warmer and wetter summer climate will increase the risk of vector borne infections and parasites (Tryland et al. 2022).

This species is used for local meat consumption and hide use; and there is some commercial use of antlers.

The heavily fragmented habitats through northern Europe being continuously encroached by expanding human activity and exploitation (Panzacchi et al. 2015, Danilov et al. 2018) imply that management and conservation of the remaining Rangifer populations centre around protection of their ranges. Indeed, keeping up the animals’ flexible range use is essential for viable populations. Strict spatial planning regimes must be implemented. The cumulative effects of all kinds of infrastructure; industrial activity, forestry, tourism etc., must be included in the planning process and restoration of fragmented ranges considered.

Today most European Reindeer populations are embraced in management or conservation plans and their conservation status are internationally, nationally and regionally recognised. Indeed, Reindeer is a high-profile species given high priority in all three European countries hosting them. The Finnish forest reindeer populations are strictly protected under Annex II of the EU Habitats and Species Directive. In Finland, a large fence has been constructed between areas occupied by semi-domesticated reindeer and forest reindeer, to prevent hybridisation, and a Finnish-Russian Nature Reserve has been established to secure the border population of forest Reindeer. In Russia, several State Nature Reserves are established partly for hosting forest Reindeer. Also, in Norway, several of the wild tundra populations roam within National Parks. Most of the Svalbard Archipelago is protected as National Parks and Reserves, making the Svalbard reindeer a well-protected population area-wise. In Russia the northern part of Novaya Zemlya is part of the Russian Arctic National Park, probably encompassing native Novaya Zemlya reindeer (Mizin et al. 2018).

Forest and tundra Reindeer in the European part of northern Russia have suffered severe to moderate declines the last decades (Danilov et al. 2018). The total hunting of Reindeer was completely banned in Murmansk, Karelia, Arkhangelsk, Nenets and Komi regions in 2020 (Korolev et al. 2021). However, poaching is a severe threat to these small populations (Korolev et al. 2021). Hunting is the main mortality factor in Norway and is strictly regulated. It is argued that hunting is critical to keep the numbers below carrying capacity in these confined and almost predator-free environments. The total yearly cull has varied between 4,000 and 8,000 animals in the last decades (Reimers 2018). On Svalbard limited hunting take place near the main settlements, Longyearbyen and Barentsburg. In Finland, hunting is strictly regulated and enforced, and only a few licenses are issued yearly.

Rapid landscape and environmental changes may challenge Rangifer’s ability to adapt. Therefore, permanent population monitoring including health and disease status must be given priority. For the Novaya Zemlya population status and trend must be identify for appropriate conservation actions.