wild forest reindeer rangifer tarandus fennicus · wild forest reindeer - speciation • wild...
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Wild Forest Reindeer –
Rangifer tarandus fennicus
www.suomenpeura.fi
www.forestreindeer.fi
www.forestreindeer.ru
Distribution of Wild forest
reindeer in Finland and
Northwest Russia
Wild reindeer arrived in Fennoscandia 10,000 years ago during the retreating phase of the Ice Age
Most extensive distribution in the 1600s
Distribution and populations (years 2013-2014): Kainuu (800 individuals) Suomenselkä region and Ähtäri (1,100) Republic of Karelia (2,400) Arkhangelsk Oblast (1,500, estimate)* Komi Republic (2,500, estimate)* * The question of the taxonomic status of wild reindeer of
Arkhangelsk province and Komi Republic is open and requires special research
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Wild forest reindeer –
Appearance and reproduction
• Males weigh 150-200 kg and females weigh 60-100 kg
• Differences vs. semi-domesticated reindeer include longer legs, longer muzzle and narrower antlers – Adaptations for deep snow and forest
environment • Both sexes have antlers
– Males lose their antlers after the autumn rut, females usually don’t lose their antlers until after winter
• In the autumn, come together into rutting herds, which are guarded by a dominant male
• Females give birth to one calf in the spring
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Wild forest reindeer– habitats
Prefer wilderness areas, old forests and undisturbed bogs
Lush bogs in the summer
Lichen-rich ground in winter
Ridge lands during migration
Prefer open areas, which provide protection against predators and insects
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Wild forest reindeer- Yearly cycle
• The yearly cycle of wild forest reindeer and caribou (subspecies of the species Rangifer tarandus) include long autumn and spring migrations
• In the spring and summer the female and small calf prefer peaceful bogs where the female eats hare's-tail cottongrass and other fresh vegetation
• As summer passes they form small summer herds on bogs
• In autumn they form rutting herds with several females and one dominant male
• In winter they migrate into large herds and go to lichen fields
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Wild forest reindeer– Rangifer
genus
The Rangifer genus contains only one species: Rangifer tarandus or reindeer or caribou
Across a circumpolar area, there are several subspecies of reindeer, of which wild forest reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus) is one
The semi-domestic reindeer of Finland were domesticated from mountain reindeer Rangifer tarandus tarandus
The subspecies can still interbreed with each other
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Wild forest reindeer - Speciation
• Wild reindeer spread out to Fennoscandia after the last ice age while the ice sheet was retreating
• There was a variety of enviroments in the region, such as forest and mountain zones to which the subspecies of reindeer adapted
• The wild forest reindeer subspecies most likely originated from Siberia, from which it arrived in Fennoscandia
• The subspecies was named Rangifer tarandus fennicus (E. Lönnberg 1909)
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Wild forest reindeer -
Conservation Status
(NT, near threatened) in Finland according to IUCN classification
Not endangered
Annex II species of the EU’s Habitat Directive
Special conservation areas must be established for protection
Belongs to the Red Book of Karelia
Status 3 / Rare species, protected
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Humans and wild forest reindeer
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Humans and wild forest reindeer
- History
Wild reindeer were important prey after the last ice age
Reindeer-related rock paintings and place names
The yearly cycle of ancient peoples was based on the migrations of reindeer
The balance was disrupted when the human population increased and hunting methods became more effective
In the early 1900s wild forest reindeer disappeared from Finland but remained in Russian Karelia
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Humans and wild forest reindeer
- Hunting
After they were re-introduced, wild forest reindeer have been hunted in the Suomensälkä region since 1998, mostly due to agricultural damage Number of permits has been reduced
since 2008 Annual bag 10-40 individuals
In Kainuu the number of permits was about ten wild forest reindeer/year in 1996-2003 In 2003 hunting was stopped
completely The hunting of wild forest reindeer was
banned in the Republic of Karelia in 2002
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Humans and wild forest reindeer
– Nature Tourism
Seeing a wild forest reindeer in nature is an unforgetable experience.
In areas with wild forest reindeer in Kainuu, Suomenselkä and Russian Karelia there are several natural sites, such as national parks, where it is possible to see wild forest reindeer.
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Humans and wild forest reindeer
- Damages
Damages can be caused to:
Agriculture
Road traffic
Forestry industry
Collection of decorative lichen
Compensation is paid for some kinds of damages in Finland
Damages to livelihoods/industry has not been found to be significant
Hunting organised to prevent crop damages
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Threats
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Humans have modified habitats significantly Drying of bogs, logging of old-growth forests,
infrastructure, fences, mines Natural habitats of wild forest reindeer are
changing
Current landscape structure favours moose Maintains higher large carnivore
populations
Wild forest reindeer does not recover from changes quickly because it reproduces slowly Only 1 calf per year
Threats – Changes in
habitats
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Wild forest reindeer are prey to wolves, bears, lynx and wolverines
However, coexistance has already continued functionally for thousands of years
Changes to habitat caused by humans affect the populations of animals and ratio of predator-to-pray
For example → a lot of moose →
nutrition for predators→ sudden drop in number of moose every year (human regulation, hunting) → predators seek other nutrition, such as wild forest reindeer
Threats – Large
predators
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Poaching is common in wild forest reindeer areas of Russia
Substantial factor in the decline in population
Challenging to monitor large and roadless areas
Snowmobiling is not restricted
Entire herds can be poached in the winter
Poaching is ”hunting for home consumption” or amusement
Threats –Poaching
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Risk of traffic accidents is the greatest during migrations, and in winter if there are a lot of reindeer wintering in the same area near roads
Tens of accidents every year
notable mortality factor in the population
Traffic routes in Russia affect migration patterns
Railways, canals
Threats - Traffic
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Threats – Diseases and parasites
Affect directly or indirectly
A sick reindeer is more vulnerable to other diseases and predators
Nematode Setaria tundra can cause mass illnesses
Deer flies wear out fur and cause loss of heat
Warming of climate increases spread of parasites to the north
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In addition to poaching, there is other harassment, especially in Karelia
Following reindeer tracks in winter by snowmobile
Camping on calving islands in summer
Number of tourists has increased significantly in the traditional summer pasture area of wild forest reindeer in the great lakes in the Republic of Karelia
Threats - Harassment
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Population management
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Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute (RKTL) counts the wild forest reindeer in Finland every 1-3 years by helicopter
Proportion of calves is counted at the same time
RKTL and The Finnish Wildlife Agency fit wild forest reindeer with GPS collars
Habitats, migration pattern, mortality, survival of calves
Field monitoring and observations
Population management –
Research and monitoring
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Wild forest reindeer and semi-domesticated reindeer can interbreed with each other
Threat to the genetic purity of the wild forest reindeer
Blocking measures
Fence on south and east border of reindeer husbandry area
Bridge and road structures
Removal of hybrids and removal of semi-domesticated and wild reindeer
Russian reindeer husbandry area is more north
Threat to genetic purity of species comes primarily from Finnish side
Population management –
Genetic purity of subspecies
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The wild forest reindeer belongs to the Annex II species of the EU’s Habitat Directive Finland shall protect the habitats of wild
forest reindeer Basis/reason in the selection of over 30
Natura areas Additional other reserves/refuges like
national parks in wild forest reindeer area (such as Salamajärvi National Park)
Several reserves and national parks in Republic of Karelia based on protecting wild forest reindeer (such as Kostamus National Park) Additional areas also being planned
Population management-
Conservation areas
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There is a substantial fine in Russia for poaching wild forest reindeer
Number of gamekeepers has been increased
Plans for restrictions on snowmobiling
Plans for new protected areas of varying degrees
More publicity/information on the decline in wild forest reindeer population and size of sanctions
Population management–
Prevention of poaching
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Populations of lynx and bears have increased in Finland, hunting for population control has been directed at wild forest reindeer areas
Possible consequence: proportion of calves in wild forest reindeer population in Kainuu has improved in recent years (2013)
Population management–
Hunting of large predators
Local people such as hunters, help in pre-surveying of aerial surveys
Planning of area to flown over
Observations of wild forest reindeer herds are collected every year in Suomenselkä by local hunters
Estimate of the sex and age structure of population
Volunteers play a key role in the re-introduction in Suomeselkä as well as any future re-introductions
Population management
- voluntary work
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Re-introduction in Suomenselkä had succeeded
Population of Suomenselkä originated from the descendants of ten farmed wild forest reindeer in late 1970s, early 1980s -> Now about 1,100 individuals
The planning of the next re-introduction project is in progress (Metsähallitus 2014-2015)
Population management-
Re-introductions
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Forest management in state-owned areas (Finland) in wild forest reindeer areas must comply with specific measures
Preserve lichen cover
Groups of trees with hanging moss and lichen are saved as retention trees
Guideliness in the environmental guide of Metsähallitus
Population management-
Forestry industry
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Population management–
Karelia ENPI CBC project
Finnish-Russian collaborative project in 2013-2014
The aims include estimation of numbers of wild forest reindeer in Karelia, preparation of joint action plan and production of wild forest reindeer materials
Aerial survey in Karelia in 2014
Website, brochure, exhibition, Powerpoint, video
Action plan
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This Powerpoint presentation was prepared during a project co-funded by the European
Union, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Finland.