Reindeer News Roundup – Norway
24 reindeer were killed by a train last week near Majavatn in the southerly area of reindeer husbandry in Norway. while compensation is paid, reindeer herder Nils Johan Kappfjell said
“It seems that it is cheaper for the NSB to pay for the animals than to put up fencing along the line”
The NSB press officer stated that
If we are notified of a specific local area, we tend to slacken the pace. But there are limits to how long stretches we should do it. That said, we are sorry for what happened, but I can not see that we could have done something different in this case
Elsewhere, southern Sami reindeer herders are asking why they are not permitted to use the excellent lichen pastures that have been placed off limits to reindeer in their area. Sami herders were removed from the area in 1800. Reindeer herder Even Danielsen said,
This is incredibly good reindeer country, with good lichen, grass and a stable winter climate, It is tragic that reindeer husbandry in the Røros region can not exploit the areas here that were traditional reindeer pastures,
The three reindeer districts that want to use their old pasture areas is Saantie-Essand, Gåebbrie-Riasten/Hylling and Svahke-Elgå reindeer districts. Herders received scientific backing for their claims too.
There is a great loss for Southern Sámi reindeer and the mountain
regions that the best reindeer pasture areas in the northern part of
Hedemark not in use, It is certainly not ecological to leave them unused. It would
be an advantage if the reindeer were grazing a little, so it woud gow better instead of being left to rot in the ground
stated Ansgaar Kosmo, a well known lichen researcher in Norway.
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