multispecies research

While the holiday frenzy has faded for much of the world, in Finnish Lapland, sled dogs continue to pull tourists through the snow-covered landscapes of the North—often until late April. Particularly in more popular places such as the official hometown of Santa Claus, Rovaniemi, and the ski resort Levi, husky safaris are now established as a key attraction rating as one of the top tourism activities For many, it is becoming increasingly “difficult to imagine a visit to Lapland without huskies” (Bohn, García-Rosell, & Äijälä, 2018; 3). With approximately 2 million tourists visiting Lapland in 2024, this creates pressures on husky safaris to cater to an increasing demand. As a result, the number of sled dogs, guides, and working hours continue to rise at a concerning rate. At the moment, there are over 50 kennels ranging from 12-500 dogs per operator.