##  [Relationships between Rangifer and Indigenous Well-being in the North American Arctic and Subarctic: A Review Based on the Academic Published Literature](/resource/relationships-between-rangifer-and-indigenous-well-being-north-american-arctic-and) 

Organization

[Memorial University of Newfoundland](/organization/memorial-university-newfoundland)

[Torngat Wildlife Plants & Fisheries Secretariat](/organization/torngat-wildlife-plants-fisheries-secretariat)

[University of Alberta (UofA)](/organization/university-alberta-uofa)

 

 

Project

[HERD: Inuit Voices on Caribou](/project/herd-inuit-voices-caribou)

 

Resource Type

[Peer reviewed article](/taxonomy/term/37)

 

 

Author(s)

David Borish

Ashlee Cunsolo

Jamie Snook

Cate Dewey

Ian Mauro

Sherilee Harper

 

 

Original Authors

David Borish

Ashlee Cunsolo

Jamie Snook

Cate Dewey

Ian Mauro

Sherilee Harper

 

 

Contacts

[David Borish](/contact/david-borish)

 

 

Resource Date:

March

2022

 

 

*This resource is available on an external database and may require a paid subscription to access it. It is included on the CCLM to support our goal of capturing and sharing the breadth of all available knowledge pertaining to Boreal Caribou, Wetlands, and Land Management.*

Many *Rangifer tarandus* (caribou or reindeer) populations across North America have been declining, posing a variety of challenges for Indigenous communities that depend on the species for physical and cultural sustenance. This article used a scoping review methodology to systematically examine and characterize the nature, extent, and range of articles published in academic journals on the connection between *Rangifer* and Indigenous well-being in the Arctic and Subarctic regions of North America. Two reviewers independently used eligibility criteria to identify and screen abstracts and titles and then screen full texts of each potentially relevant article. To be included in this review, articles had to discuss linkages between *Rangifer* and Indigenous well-being in the North American Arctic and Subarctic and be published prior to 2018. A total of 4279 articles were identified and screened for relevance; 58 articles met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed using descriptive quantitative and thematic qualitative methods. Results characterized the depth and diversity of what we know about *Rangifer* for Indigenous culture, food security, livelihoods, psychological well-being, and social connections across North America in the academic literature. Several gaps were identified. Little is known about the psychological ties between *Rangifer* and Indigenous Peoples and the influence of *Rangifer*-related change on Indigenous well-being and adaptive capacity. We urgently need to know more about the emotional connections that arise from Indigenous-*Rangifer* linkages, the effectiveness of adaptive strategies, and the intergenerational implications of *Rangifer*-related change. Further, enhanced inclusion of Indigenous Peoples in the production of knowledge on this topic is fundamental to the future of understanding Indigenous-*Rangifer* relationships.