(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
Coauthor: RUBEN M. Oddekalv. Leader, Norwegian Environmental Protection Association
Already in mid-September, the ministries asked the Norwegian Environment Agency to prepare for an extraordinary extraction on the Hardangervidda plateau. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has always been clear that this will be necessary, as experience has shown that it will not be possible to shoot enough animals during ordinary hunting to meet their wishes for CWD tests. They want samples of almost all adult bucks and 1000-1500 sims.
All samples from the summer and autumn hunts are free of CWD. There is no indication that the disease is particularly contagious or that it exists at all. Nevertheless, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority and the Norwegian Environment Agency will shoot down the tribe on the Hardangervidda. According to the plan, it will be reduced to a minimum genetically viable population within 2-3 years, based on a single CWD case in 2020.
This will put Norway on the world map as one of the worst when it comes to species protection and animal protection.
Where is the view of the ministries and those who manage our largest and most important wild reindeer tribe? It is also Europe's largest wild reindeer tribe, accounting for 30% of the remainder wild reindeerone in Europe. It is a serious fauna crime that the Norwegian authorities are about to commit, but even worse is the barbaric animal cruelty they want to start.
The animals are exhausted after almost two months of extended hunting. They are subject to disturbances all year round and never get peace. The consequences of the disturbances are that they clump together in a small part of the living areas, for fear of getting close to people. They are not allowed to utilize the grazing areas. The animals are weakened and become more exposed to parasites and diseases. The calves are small, weights of 10-12 kilos and down to 6 kilos are reported.
Shoot from helicopter
This frail population will The Norwegian Food Safety Authority og The Norwegian Environment Agency start motorized ravaging this winter. They will chase the animals with snowmobiles in winter and shoot them down from a helicopter. They want to kill the big animals, leaving hundreds of calves motherless and without a chance. It is planned for the worst mistreatment of wild animals in Norway ever.
Even small disturbances can have major consequences for wild reindeer that need peace to save energy in winter. At 10 minutes of flight, the wild reindeer use 21% of their energy. With constant flight, it will go beyond body weight, which in turn makes the animals less suitable for surviving the harsh climate. Exhausted wild reindeer can die en masse over the winter and spring.
At the same time, wild reindeer in nearby areas are endangered. In motorized hunting, the animals may try to escape from the area. If they get over to Nordfjella or Setesdal, the wild reindeer strains can also be shot down there.
In addition, there are the long-term consequences. A low proportion of adult bucks will lead to many late-born calves that do not have enough time to build up the necessary fat reserves for the winter. There will be few animals to dig out winter pasture, with less food and reduced survival of calves and simles. A weakened population will be even more vulnerable to disturbance.
The Biodiversity Act
Both agencies violate the legislation they are set to administer. The Animal Welfare Act requires that animals be treated well and protected from the danger of unnecessary stress and strain. The principle of the Biodiversity Act was that the principle of irreversible damage to biodiversity should be avoided. Instead, they use the lead was the principle to shoot down for safety.
According to Bollestad, this is about the export industry and trade interests. The state is more concerned with the sale of meat than taking care of living things and protecting endangered species. They have set aside a wild reindeer area, with the consequences it has for the ecosystem which for thousands of years has been adapted to the wild reindeer. Now it's Hardangervidda National Park's turn.
In search of CWD they may exterminate the wild reindeer, and on the way there they will engage in motorized ravaging with the animals and subject them to starvation. This will put Norway on the world map as one of the worst when it comes to species protection and animal protection. The wild reindeer is our species of responsibility, a globally and nationally endangered species. It is now more endangered than ever, due to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority's fear of infectious substances. We must stop being passive spectators to this, but stand up for the wild reindeer before it is too late.
