July 16, 2007

 To American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners:

My externship with the University of Alaska’s Reindeer Research Program was not only a veterinary learning experience, but a cultural one as well.  The village where we were had 150 people.  They have about 1000 reindeer.  The reindeer industry in western Alaska is on the verge of big changes with recent proposals to start mobile USDA slaughterhouses to make reindeer meet available around the state.

The flight from Nome to Wales was incredible.  The pilot pointed out 14 musk oxen grazing on a hillside.  The first stop was supposed to be Brevig Mission, where the 1918 flu strain was isolated.  The man going there said he was in no hurry and wouldn’t mind seeing some sights, so he volunteered to get dropped off last.  I was the second stop.  The man going to the third stop, Shishmerof wanted to get there, so we went there first.  This is an island not too far from Russia, where, due to erosion, the houses are falling off into the sea.  They had seal meat hanging from the racks outside their houses.  As we descended into the village of Wales, the pilot pointed out the 4-wheelers chasing in the reindeer from a narrow spit of land jutting into the Bering Sea!  We were welcomed and taken by 4-wheeler to the house owned by the reindeer herder.  Although they were very welcoming, the house was kept so warm that I joined the other volunteers in a tent outside.  It was about 40 degrees!

They had tried to get the reindeer in the corral the day before I got there, but one of the snowmachines broke down.  Snow is not needed to herd reindeer by snowmachine! The buyer for the reindeer antlers gave an advance payment of a new 4-wheeler.  Unfortunately the reindeer weren’t to be caught the first night, so we went to bed around 2 am.  What I didn’t know was that we were camped next to the basketball courts and the kids played ball until about 8am!  So sleeping was a challenge.  Fortunately there was plenty of time for napping as nobody was awake until late afternoon!  At about 4:30pm, Davis asked if I’d eaten breakfast yet, pointing to a stack of freshly cooked pancakes.  The others got up at varying times after that, with the work beginning about 11pm.  They only got about 150 reindeer into the corral.  There was a student from Massey and a teacher from Scotland collecting data for University of Alaska.  At the handling, we collected demographic and health data, tagged and ear-notched calves and took blood, cytology and swab (conjunctival and nasal) samples for research.  Once we were finished, the men went back out to find more reindeer and the rest of us waited in the cabin by the corral.  The cabin had a woodstove, but was still quite cold.  Around 6 am we were told that it would have to wait until night, as the reindeer were tired.  We stayed 2 more days, but the reindeer weren’t corralled.  Then we headed back to Nome to prepare to work with other herds.

The other herds we planned to handle at had unexpected problems.  One herder couldn’t locate his herd of 3000 reindeer.  The University had put 9 satellite collars on his animals.  However, 4 had dead batteries and the other 5 were in a group of about 30 animals.   The herder spent several days looking for his reindeer by plane, but they weren’t to be found.  Another herd had logistical problems and postponed handling their herd until a few days after I left.

Unfortunately, the timing of my externship didn’t coincide with many other reindeer handlings.  I spent the rest of the time writing up a reindeer project from last winter, helping with a bird populations survey and learning about the area plants and wildlife.  I would highly recommend this externship to other veterinary students.   However, working with reindeer herders in Alaskan villages is an unpredictable experience.  It is possible that other students could be there when no reindeer are caught.  Two weeks is a bare minimum and more time would allow for travel to remote reindeer handlings.  There is lot to learn about reindeer, the culture and the wilderness.  Students who appreciate and take advantage of the other opportunities will have a great experience regardless. 

I very much appreciate the support from AASRP.  I hope that other students and veterinarians from AASRP will be able to become involved in the reindeer industry and helping this industry, livelihood and culture to continue.

Alina Evans