A reindeer gazes at two teepees covered in snow after a summer snowstorm. Despite the snow cover, reindeer easily forage for summer grasses.

Some Tsaatan have moved to lower elevations to pose for tourists, bringing the reindeer with them. While healthy reindeer can survive cold winters, the hotter summer temperatures at the lower elevations expose reindeers to insects and parasites, which can weaken them as winter approaches.

Read the news story about the Tsaatan people and their reindeer.

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Photo gallery by Chelsea Lane-Miller
National Geographic News