Page 35 - THE SLOUGHI REVIEW - ISSUE 13
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T H E S L O U G H I R E V I E W 3 5
Wikipedia says: “In contrast to all other domesticated grazing animals, human breeding of
reindeer has always been minimal and humans have adapted to the animals’ way of life
rather than vice versa, so that the term reindeer breeding is misleading. The term reindeer
husbandry is intended to reflect this” [21].
So here, in relation to the reindeer, a better description is made of the approach to the
household of man. Man does not determine the rules of reproduction, he adapts to the
wild animal and the use is more of an extensive form. But “reindeer husbandry” does not
really apply either, since reindeer live more or less in the wild and are only captured
occasionally for the use of individual animals. There is no targeted reproduction or even
breeding. However, reindeer husbandry does not describe domestication, but rather a
living community of humans and animals. Would another term be used for this form of
extensive use?
At this point it must be interwoven that the wolf in North America and Canada also
follows the caribou herds, just as man originally did. Günther Bloch, wolf researcher and
dog trainer, who followed the tracks of wolves in Canada for over twenty years, mentions
this fact [22].
This results in the same interests of man and wolf, or also originally of the dog?
And the question arises whether man and dog / wolf were food competitors or whether
they did not profit from each other's abilities? In any case, we see below that the hunting
community of man and dog certainly complemented each other. Among the ancient
Egyptians, the Pygmies and the Touareg, as described by Henri Lhote.
Sami with sledge pulled by reindeer, in front of a corral,
public domain.