World Reindeer Herders Speaks out on Predator Debate
There has been a widespread debate in the pubic sphere in recent months, regarding predator losses suffered by reindeer herders in Norway. There is a widespread perception that reindeer herders exaggerate their losses and in some cases falsify predator claims in their claims for compensation. This has primarily been led by environmental organisations, but also local politicians and the media.
The pressure from politicians and others about predator losses is a load for the herders, said Johan Mathis Turi, the General Secretary of the Association of World Reindeer Herders in Kautokeino, Norway. It is so even if the predator numbers are uncertain, but still are used by the administration as if they are true. Reindeer herders become embittered with all this debate and unqualified criticism, continued Turi (pictured). The Ministry of Agriculture and Food stated that it believes that there is no basis to allege falsification by herders regarding losses to predators.
State Secretery Ola T. Heggem said that the Oddekalvs Environmental Association goes extremely far when they claim that herders swindle. ”It is dramatic to accuse people of cheating. There is no basis to assert that they deliberately cheat” and added that this is a tough question. ”It’s about questioning and problematic evidence, rules, discretion and ratios with a large gap”. He also denied that animals were in poor condition and found the proposal to let predators lower the number of reindeer as not being serious.
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