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Loads Of Reindeer Have Been Killed In Just Four Days By Trains In Norway

Loads Of Reindeer Have Been Killed In Just Four Days By Trains In Norway

A local reindeer herder called the incident 'totally tragic', after 65 were killed on Saturday alone.

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

Freight trains in Norway are responsible for killing 106 reindeer in four days.

The animals were hit on three occasions after drivers weren't told to slow down by railway bosses. Sixty-five were killed on Saturday, with 26 and 15 being hit on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

Norway is home to 250,000 semi-domestic reindeer, with most living in the far north of the country.

Torstein Appfjell, a reindeer hunter, has called the incident 'totally tragic'.

The country has 250,000 semi-domestic reindeer. Credit: PA

He told Aftenposten: "Reindeer are something special for us who do this. They mean almost everything to us and the animals form the basis for our existence. Such a big recess in our reindeer herd is catastrophic."

Reindeer owners in the area have been attempting to move the herds to the coast for winter, and advised rail operator Bane Nor to let its drivers know to drive slowly while the migration is ongoing.

However, warnings to the drivers to drive slowly through the area where the reindeer were crossing were not received because of a 'technical failure'. Bane Nor told local media that it has now reduced the speed of its vehicles.

At least 250 reindeer are reported to have been killed by trains in the past 12 months. Credit: PA

"We received a confirmation from Bane Nor about business activity, but there is obviously a failure in the system," Appfjell said.

"At least the message has not reached the driver. Why is impossible for me to say something about."

Locals have called for a barrier to be placed around the tracks to protect the animals, hundreds of which are killed each year.

Appfjell said this is the worst year he has seen for reindeer deaths, with 250 killed by trains in the last 12 months.

Credit: PA

Jon Erling Utsi, a documentary maker who saw and filmed some of the deaths, told NKR: "It was a nightmare to watch.

"The worst thing was the animals that were not killed in the accident, they were lying there, suffering, it was a bloodbath over several kilometres."

Source: NKR; Aftenposten

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: World News, Norway, Animals