Reindeer Blog

As many as 50 reindeer froze to death after falling through thin ice near Kautokeino, Norway yesterday according to a report in NRK Sami Radio. This is a dangerous time of year for reindeer and their herders, as although lakes and rivers are frozen, the ice is thin and liable to break. Herders attempted to [...]

So said, the Minister for Industry of Norway (Labour Party) while announcing a big increase in funding for mining exploration in the country in a story that appeared in Adressa.no The Norwegian Geological Survey (NGU) believes there is a vast wealth of minerals and ore under the soil just waiting to be exploiting – only [...]

Finnmark Kraft has been granted a licence to establish a new wind park on the Berlevag peninsula, where there is already a wind park. As many as 100 wind turbines could be established supplying up to 300 MW. The company have been reluctant to estimate how many towers they would build in the past, as [...]

Farmers and herders in Northern Finland have threatened to shoot reindeer from Norway.  “Between December 2009 and May 2010, we have counted, and sent back about 4200 Norwegian reindeer, ” said Assistant Police Chief in Peräpohjola police in Finland, Ossi Hyvönen.  Hyvönen estimated the damage to pastures to be as much as 120,000 Euros, just [...]

The two Shtokman partners to expand cooperation through a sci-tech cooperation program. Today within the framework of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2010 Alexander Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Peter Mellbye, Executive Vice President of Statoil signed an Agreement on Scientific and Technical Cooperation. Pursuant to the Agreement, the parties will [...]

A multi stakeholder seminar was held in the Kautokeino, Norway yesterday which focussed on the issue of mining in Finnmark, an issue of some controversy in the region since the passing of the Finnmark Act which devolved desicion making powers over multiple resource issues to the region of Finnmark. The seminar was attended by the [...]

In northern Norway, summer pastures for reindeer are often located on the coastal islands of Finnmark and Troms counties. Traditionally, reindeer swim across from the mainland to the islands but with increasing pasture losses and migratory route fragmentation, since the early 1970s, many herders use a reindeer ‘ferry’ to transport reindeer over distances that have [...]

The Norwegian Reindeer Husbandry Administration is advising people in the northern Troms and Nordland areas to be particularly aware of reindeer this spring due to difficult grazing and operating conditions.  Easter is a hugely popular holiday period for Norwegians and people are on the move and outdoors.  Reindeer in northern Troms and Nordland have had [...]

Ask reindeer herders in certain parts of Norway and they will tell you that trains and reindeer do not mix. In the Norwegian media, there have been a series of stories about a series of deadly interactions between reindeer. A total of 1877 reindeer were run over by train in 2008 in Norway, despite the goals [...]

by Catherine Marciano.  JARFJORD, Norway (AFP) – On Norway’s border with Russia, the consequences of climate change are affecting the reindeer population as rising temperatures hit food stocks and industry growth eats into vital grazing land. “Over the past three years, I’ve had to give some hay to my 800 reindeer during the coldest months. It’s more [...]