The herd in Reinheimen
Wild reindeer inhabit the entire national park, well adapted to life in the high mountains. The winter herd consists of approximately 2000 animals and is one of the most productive in the country. With intact habitats used throughout the year for calving and rearing, as well as summer and winter grazing, Reinheimen is part of the last large wild reindeer areas in Europe.
Wild reindeer require large areas, and the marginal and unstable basis of existence in the mountains forces them to migrate between spring, summer and winter grazing grounds to access the most available and nutritious food.
Encountering wild reindeer
Wild reindeer are vulnerable to disturbance and human activity, especially in winter and during the spring calving season. Wild reindeer have a phenomenal sense of smell – they can detect humans from several kilometers away and are able to run just as far if they feel threatened.
If you encounter wild reindeer on your trip, keep at a good distance and move slowly away in the opposite direction. Always keep your dog under control.
Foraging for food
Reindeer are well adapted to a tough life in the high mountains and are the only animals capable of utilizing nutrient-poor plants such as lichen. During the summer, reindeer typically graze on green plants, and in the autumn, they eat fungi. They are also able to smell lichen beneath a layer of snow that is over half a meter thick.
Adapted to freezing temperatures
Wild reindeer fur is very dense, with three times as many guard hairs as other deer species. In addition, wild reindeer have a layer of underfur and an insulating layer of fat beneath their skin. This ‘coat’ is at its best during the rutting season when it is glossy and thick, and is made up of hollow hairs filled with air. This provides extra warmth in winter and helps the reindeer float better if they need to swim across lakes and rivers in the summer.
Geviret
The reindeer is the only species of deer in which both sexes have antlers. Even calves grow antlers in their first year of life.
What purpose do the antlers serve? Reindeer antlers are heavy and can seem somewhat impractical. Behavioral studies show that the antlers help maintain the social structure within the herd. They are used when the animals compete for food, resting spots and mates. When members of the deer family lose their antlers, they often lose their social status. During the rutting season, when the reindeer bulls’ antlers are in their prime, the biggest and strongest bulls often win the competition for the females. During the rut, the bulls make loud, thundering sounds, especially when they fight. The antlers can also be heard clashing together from a long distance away. The bulls lose their antlers and status after the rutting season. The female reindeer and calves keep their antlers through the winter and use them to drive the bulls away to gain access to the best grazing grounds. The evolution of antlers in female reindeer is probably an adaptation to the intense competition for the best grazing areas during pregnancy.
History
Traces of trapping and finds of tools made from wild reindeer show that there have been wild reindeer in Reinheimen for a long time. Many different types of cultural monuments have been recorded in the national park. These include pitfall traps built from stones and logs, hunting blinds, and mass trapping systems with guiding fences – such as Verket in Slådalen valley. After the inland ice melted 10,000 years ago, the hunters followed the reindeer as they migrated into the mountainous areas of Norway.
From 1840 until 1964, domesticated reindeer husbandry took place in the area. In 1964, the then-existing Trio Domesticated Reindeer Association was discontinued, and a wild reindeer area was established. Domesticated reindeer have also been released in the Trollstigen area, first in 1958 and most recently in 1999.
Culture and hunting traditions
Wild reindeer inhabit the entire national park, well adapted to life in the high mountains. The winter herd consists of approximately 2000 animals and is one of the most productive in the country. With intact habitats used throughout the year for calving and rearing, as well as summer and winter grazing, Reinheimen is part of the last large wild reindeer areas in Europe.
Wild reindeer require large areas, and the marginal and unstable basis of existence in the mountains forces them to migrate between spring, summer and winter grazing grounds to access the most available and nutritious food.
More information about wild reindeer management can be found at villrein.no
Human influence
For many thousands of years, we have depended on wild reindeer to survive. Today, however, reindeer depend on the choices we make and are affected by human encroachment on their habitats.
Wild reindeer are particularly vulnerable to human activities, including people visiting their habitats and the development of infrastructure. Show consideration when hiking in the mountains, both toward wild reindeer and other wildlife.