The Predation Debate Continues
(Pic - Statens Naturoppsyn) Last week, the Green Warriors of Norway (Norges Miljøvernforbund) a Bergen based environmental organization announced that “Reindriftsnæringen svindler staten for rovdyrerstatning” , that reindeer husbandry was swindling the state over predatation compensation and called for an investigation. The Vice Chair of NBR NRL (the Sami Reindeer Herders Assn. of Norway) welcomed the call for such an investigation stating that it would bring clarity to the matter. Fred Johnsen, the leader of the Finnmark Bondelag (Finnmark Farmers Association) called for support for reindeer husbandry, no doubt partly because farmers in Finnmark also suffer considerable losses from predation. Predation is not just an issue in Norway - the southernmost reindeer husbandry area in Finland, Kainuu, has never had such high losses from predation as this year - with over 700 reindeer being lost to predators such as wolves and bear, as reported in today’s NRK Sami TV News .