Respect the wild reindeer while hiking in their natural habitat
The wild reindeer's habitats are under pressure. This is how you can pay attention if you are in a wild reindeer area.
The wild reindeer are threatened in various ways, including due to the development of power plants, roads and cabin fields. They are constantly losing in the battle for land, artificial barriers prevent the wild reindeer from using their natural migration routes, and they are easily disturbed and displaced.
Even if you are only visiting the wild reindeer mountains, you can have a negative impact on the animals. The wild reindeer are very shy, and it therefore takes little for the animals to be disturbed. They will often detect us long before we see them.
Slik kan du ta hensyn til villreinen på tur:
Følg merkede løyper
Hold deg i ro hvis du ser villrein, slik at den kan trekke unna uforstyrret
Bruk kikkert og hold avstand
Hold deg lavt i terrenget og beveg deg slik i vinden at dyra ikke får lukta fra deg
Ha kontroll på hunden og følg regler om båndtvang
This is important all year round, but especially in the spring during calving and in the winter when access to food is limited.
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The herds of wild reindeer in the mountains in southern Norway are considered to be the last viable populations of this species in Europe. We therefore have a special responsibility to safeguard the wild reindeer and their habitats. At the same time, the wild reindeer are very shy and vulnerable, while their natural way of life and habitats are under increasing pressure.
Photo: Olav Strand/NINA
Why do wild reindeer need so much space?
The Norwegian reindeer are adapted to a life in the mountains, without the forest to hide in and with very marginal living conditions. And unlike our other cervids, the reindeer live in herds. These can range from groups of a few dozen up to several hundred animals. The main reason why they live in flocks is believed to be primarily a defense against predators.
Because the reindeer live in herds and the food supply is also very limited, it is natural that they also need large areas. Climate, vegetation and terrain are crucial for access to food from year to year and at different seasons. The reindeer prefer to find the spring and summer pastures in lush areas where the snow melts early and there is access to grass and other plant growth. In winter, they tend to find areas with little snow and plenty of lichen.
The wild reindeer are on a constant migration between these areas. The fact that they are also very shy and easily allowed to be stressed and disturbed from grazing, calving and resting only makes the need for space greater and the animals extra vulnerable.
Where does the wild reindeer live?
Loss of land and barrier effects have led to a sharp fragmentation and reduction of the wild reindeer's habitats. As a result, the Norwegian populations of wild reindeer are now divided into 24 wild reindeer areas.
Wild or domesticated reindeer – what's the difference?
How can you know if it is wild reindeer or domesticated reindeer you encounter in the mountains? In appearance, they are reasonably similar. Some of the wild reindeer also originate wholly or partly from domestic reindeer. The easiest thing is probably to assess based on the maps: If you are in a wild reindeer area, then it is wild reindeer, and if you are in a domesticated reindeer area, then it is domesticated reindeer. Of course, these are boundaries that the animals do not adhere to, so there may be exceptions.
The domestic reindeer is a so-called semi-domesticated (semi-domesticated) animal, which is regularly supervised, which is moved between different pastures, and which can have access to feed in situations of food shortage. The domestic reindeer still live a fairly wild life compared to other production animals, although they are normally not as shy as the wild reindeer. In any case, these are animals that are also susceptible to disturbances. A good rule can therefore be to relate to reindeer as if they are all of the wild variety.
Why do mountain tourists have to pay attention?
Reindeer have a very well-developed sense of smell, and they can get to people from very long distances. If it is frightened at first, it often also runs far. Movement steals energy and time for grazing is lost. It will be particularly unfortunate if the animals are simultaneously displaced from important calving and grazing areas.
The reindeer are extra vulnerable during the time around calving, and therefore need special peace in the period 15 April – 15 June.
Studies show that wild reindeer tend to avoid an area if the traffic of hikers exceeds a certain level. This means that a well-used hiking trail can also act as a barrier that the animals will not cross.
However, this does not mean that people should stop walking in the mountains, but by taking a little extra care and choosing not to go to vulnerable areas and vulnerable times, we can help make the life of the reindeer a little easier.
