Norwegian reindeer fitted with reflectors to avoid car crashes
By ANIThursday, December 23, 2010
LONDON - In an effort to protect them from getting hit by cars, Norway’s 200,000 reindeer are being fitted with reflectors.
Every year several people are injured and around 500 reindeer are killed on the roads of Norway.
About 2,000 reindeer have been fitted with reflective yellow collars or small antler tags this month, reports the Telegraph.
“It really works,” said Kristian Oevernes, the leader of the project at the Norwegian Public Roads Administration.
“This is the first time it (reindeer marking) has happened on this scale,” he said.
A test drive on a snowmobile showed that marked reindeer were far more visible in the dark than others.
About 200,000 reindeer live in Norway, mostly owned by Sami indigenous people who raise them for meat, skins and antlers, according to the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry.
If the new project is successful, supporters say, reindeer owners or vehicle insurance companies might be interested in buying reflectors. (ANI)
