Henrik Seva, also known as the Tundra Cowboy, manages Canada's only free-range herd of reindeer. He lives 200 km north of the Arctic Circle in the Western Arctic. The tundra is his home.
Raised in Sweden and taught the art of reindeer herding from both his Sami father and grandfather, Henrik moved to Canada at the age of 49. The reason - herding in his native land has quickly been modernized.
Here, in the Western Arctic, Henrik is able to be closer to the animals that he adores and is able to spend more time with the reindeer - much like his ancestors and he did growing up.
We were lucky enough to catch up with Henrik and ask him some questions about herding and the reindeer.
You will be able to see Henrik in action on April 10, 2017, when he leads the 4,500-strong herd across the Mackenzie River Ice Road just north of Inuvik. This event coincides with the annual Muskrat Jamboree.
How many reindeer are in the herd and how do you manage them all?
"The reindeer herd peaks at about 4200 after spring fawning, around late April, when the cows have birthed their fawns. Until we collect the herd in November, natural animal predation by bears and wolves takes maybe 400 animals. We also need to harvest the reindeer for the demand for table meat in the Northwest Territories, so by late winter the herd count is about 3500."
"Managing the herd is mostly about protecting the animals from predators that not only kill but will also scatter the herd. Not so hard to do in the winter but more difficult to do in the summer!"
On a regular day, how far does the herd travel and how much time do you have to rest?
"Usually, in the winter, we don't have to spend more than an hour to push the herd back together after the spreading that takes place overnight - unless wolves have really scattered the herd! Then it can take a day to make sure the herd is all collected. In extreme cases, we have had to work for two weeks or more to track down strays."
What is the most difficult part about your job as a reindeer herder in Canada’s Arctic?
"While most people living in the bush can take a day off when the weather and visibility is poor, we will often choose to go out and see that the herd is safe and not straying. This means increased risk to our safety - so herding is a high risk occupation. Around the Arctic, herder deaths have occurred. Thankfully satellite technology and the availability to call for emergency assistance has reduced the dangers of this problem. Last spring, we had a helicopter assist a herder within three hours of their call for help. In the past, it often took two or more days and hard searching."
"Cold weather outdoor butchering of animals is not easy and one has to be able to work in cold conditions. We prefer to work on carcasses outdoors to keep the meat clean and to avoid contamination of the meat. To do a few carcasses in a day is not so hard but to do it day after day is not so easy."
You spend so much time with the reindeer, what type of connection do you have with them?
"The reindeer herd becomes very used to being protected and are much less disturbed if we kill some animals daily. Otherwise, they can become extremely harassed by animal predators - especially wolves, who will sometimes much more than they can eat on a given day."
"For herders, it is like a kin-ship with reindeer. The best herders have a real affinity with reindeer. One develops a real relationship with the animals and herding becomes almost a graceful dance between herder and herd."
What is it about reindeer herding that you enjoy the most?
"Fawning time, when calves are born and grow is the best time. Watching fawns become active within several hours and then later on, when fawns and the one -year-olds (the yearlings), play and dance. But the magic is in the interaction between the herder and the herd."
Kids may ask whether these are Santa’s reindeer and if they can fly – how do you usually answer such a question?
"We say that when reindeer really take off running, you start to think maybe they can fly! And that they can also travel very long distances in a short time!"
What is one thing about the reindeer that would surprise many people?
"It might surprise many that reindeer are very aware of human movements and how quickly they react to that - like they have eyes in the back of their heads! They can easily be tamed by a person that does it properly. And like people, not all reindeer behave alike. There are always some wild ones and some that will get along. There are sub-groups of reindeer, for instance the maverick two/three-year-old bulls that always seem to stray, or the wilder cows that will stray and lead off bulls. You soon start to see that reindeer, like humans, have many different behaviours but also that most move along well with the rest."
You can learn more about Canada's only reindeer herd by visiting www.canadianreindeer.com.