Over 80,000 Reindeers Have Died Of Starvation Due To Melting Ice

Over 80,000 Arctic reindeer have starved to death because of melting sea ice, linked to climate change.

A whopping one fifth of the entire reindeer population in Siberia's Yamal Peninsula have died since two instances of extreme conditions, caused by sea ice melting in 2006 and then again in 2013.

Melting sea ice and unusually warm weather meant that there was increased rainfall during autumn, which in turn lead to a thick layer of ice forming over vegetation once it froze, leaving the reindeers with nothing to eat during the winter, scientists at Lapland University have discovered.

A reindeer. Credit: PA

Lack of food resulted in the deaths of 20,000 reindeer in 2006 and a further 61,000 in 2013. Most worryingly, the study also warned that it's likely to get worse in the future.

Speaking to New Scientist, Professor Bruce Forbes, who lead the study, said: "Reindeer are used to sporadic ice cover, and adult males can normally smash through ice around two centimetres thick. But in 2006 and 2013, the ice was several tens of centimetres thick."

And it's not just Rudolph and his pals that are suffering. The indigenous herders, who use the animals for clothes, meat and even tools, have lost most, or even all, of their herds.

Featured image credit: PA

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

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