In the end of each year reindeer-breeders carry out the slaughtering of reindeers to get winter stock of meat, make new warm cloths and to have some money to buy snowmobiles and portable generators. They run their herds hundreds kilometers to slaughterhouse to count and select animals. Slaughtering season is up to one month depending on the number of reindeers. It takes 5 or 6 days to deal with a 2,000 animal herd. The whole process hasn’t changed for hundreds years: 15-20 reindeers are penned one by one and breeders decide the death and life dilemma for the animals… Blood on the snow, body pieces and animal skins… Smell of death over this “North corrida” throws reindeers into horror and rage. Sometimes breeders leave the place with their broken ribs, hands or legs like matadors. No matter how dangerous and heavy this job is the atmosphere of savage and revelry reigns over the place.
This story was shot during the travels in the Far North (Russia) for three last years.
2010-2013 © Tatiana Plotnikova for Russian Reporter Magazine