Researcher of the Center for the Arctic Study Sergey Zuev presented his scientific work "Modern Research Methods and Models of Reindeer Herding" at the two-day international scientific and practical conference “Yamal Humanitarian Readings: Topical Issues of Study, Preservation and Development of Native Languages, Traditional Cultures and Literature” which was opened in Salekhard (Yamal, Russia) on the 13th of November.

He explained what is the relationship between reindeer husbandry and the preservation of native languages: “Reindeer husbandry is the main type of traditional nature use, which, in fact, is the guarantor for preservation of cultural elements, especially the language. If reindeer husbandry persists, there will be no issues with native language speakers. ”

Yamal, according to the scientist, is providing tremendous assistance to reindeer herding, and there are no problems with native speakers in the region.

The monograph was written by Sergey Zuev in collaboration with researchers who have devoted most of their lives to reindeer herding and everything connected with it. These are Kasim Layshev, Alexander Yuzhakov, Tatyana Romanenko and Gennady Detter. The geography of many years of research includes the Krasnoyarsk Krai, the Yamal-Nenets, Nenets and Chukotka Autonomous Districts, the Arkhangelsk Region and Yakutia.

The scientist said that now the concept of reindeer husbandry, which is so necessary, is being developed in Yamal. Summarizing all the available information and suggestions, the researches adapted them to the system of existing regulatory legal acts and the economy of the district. Today, to change the standard of living for nomads, the Yamal Governor expresses proposals that were brought to him by scientists who have studied the issues of reindeer husbandry and livelihoods of reindeer herders.

 Now the main problems of the country's reindeer herding are the poor scientific support of this activity, the lack of scientific developments and research methods. The book provides brief guidelines for conducting research in the field of breeding, selection work, geobotany, and accounting the number of domestic reindeer. The book also shows options for calculating economic damage in case of violation of regulatory number of pastures, as well as the phased control model for various diseases of reindeer. A separate chapter contains materials that reveal the problems of reindeer husbandry in Yamal. The ways of its development are proposed, the income structure of reindeer herding families of the Yamal region is presented.

Sergey Zuev presented the chapter about the 2018 expedition in the Yamal region: “In my practice, it was one of the most difficult and informative [expeditions]. My colleagues and I drove on a snowmobile sleigh one and a half thousand kilometers, we gained tremendous material. More than 80 families of reindeer herders were interviewed, and data on their socio-economic situation was collected.”

The monograph is intended for researchers, specialists in the field of reindeer herding, teachers, students and PhD candidates.

Source: Sever-Press