Animals - Climate crisis is causing reindeer problems
The climate crisis is causing problems for reindeer breeders in northern Norway. According to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, there is a risk of breeding problems.
Pastures difficult to reach
According to Anna-Laila Danielsen, who wrote her master's thesis on the problem, it is often no longer cold enough for lakes and rivers to freeze over and for the reindeer to walk across the ice on their way to their winter grazing grounds. This interrupts the migration routes.
Reindeer live in the tundra and taiga of the northern polar regions. They are the only domesticated deer species.
Breeders also told Danielsen that a light blanket of snow often covers the still thin ice. The animals are then often unable to recognize that the ice is not yet bearing weight. They can then collapse when walking over it. Some breeders therefore want to build bridges for the reindeer.
In addition, there is now less permafrost and winter temperatures fluctuate around freezing point more frequently than in the past. As a result, several thin layers of ice can form on the snow, which together are so hard that the reindeer can no longer reach the food under the ice, writes Danielsen. The herders therefore have to bring in additional food, which is expensive and time-consuming, especially as vehicles with hay and pellets cannot get everywhere in the wilderness.
In addition, there is often crowding among the reindeer during feeding. Dominant animals keep other animals away from the food. This is not a problem in the wild, where the weaker ones look for another place to graze. This is not possible at an artificial feeding site. Some breeders have now developed special feeding devices.
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- Despite the challenge posed by the climate crisis, some reindeer breeders in northern Norway are considering building bridges for their animals to cross the unfrozen rivers and reach their grazing grounds.
- The climate crisis has brought about an offspring problem for reindeer breeders in Trondheim, Norway, as the animals struggle to navigate their traditional migration routes due to the lack of frozen ice on rivers.
- According to a master's thesis written by Anna-Laila Danielsen, the climate crisis is causing a shift in the climate, making it harder for reindeer in Norway to access food as the ice on rivers becomes too thick to break through.
- As the climate crisis worsens, reindeer in Norway are facing difficulties reaching their winter pastures due to the lack of frozen ice on rivers, leading to an increased reliance on artificial feeding sites.
- The climate crisis in Norway is causing leader reindeer to keep other animals away from food at artificial feeding sites, leading to overcrowding and competition for resources.
- The climate crisis in Norway is causing reindeer herders to spend more money and time on bringing in additional food for their animals, as the harsh winter conditions no longer provide enough natural food sources due to changes in climate.
Source: www.stern.de
