Wild forest reindeer - Ensuring the purity of the breed of the wild forest reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus) LIFE98 NAT/FIN/005325

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1 Wild forest reindeer - Ensuring the purity of the breed of the wild forest reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus) LIFE98 NAT/FIN/ Project description Environmental issues Beneficiaries Administrative data Read more Contact details: Project Manager: Ilkka PELTOLA Tel: 358/ Fax: 358/ ilkka,peltola@mkj-jco.inet.fi Project description: Background In 1998 there were only 5,000 wild forest reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus) in the whole world, restricted to Finland and Russian Karelia. Finland thus has the only EU population, approximately 1,500 individuals, which live in three regions: Kainuu, Lieksa and Suomenselka. In the 17th century, wild forest reindeer were distributed all over Finland, but they had vanished from the country by the end of the 19th century. However, in the 1950s the animal returned to Finland`s Kainuu area from Russia, and this population is the ancestor of all of today's Finnish populations. The wild forest reindeer was added to Annex II of the Habitats Directive on Oct when the Directive was revised to take account of the Boreal Region and its species and habitats entering the EU as a result of Finland and Sweden's accession. The main threat to wild forest reindeer in Finland is the isolation of these three sub-populations. Moreover, the fence along the Finnish-Russian border prevents gene exchange between the Finnish and Russian subpopulations. The genetic integrity of the Kainuu sub-population, the biggest in Finland, is further menaced by hybridisation as a result of cross-breeding with domestic ("Santa Claus") reindeer, which occur in large numbers immediately to the north of the Kainuu wild forest reindeer area. Despite many other threats (predators, crashes with road vehicles etc.), forest reindeer populations in Kainuu, and even more so in Suomenselka, have increased slightly, but the Lieksa population is near extinction.

2 Objectives The target of this LIFE-project, carried out by the national hunters' association, was to guarantee the genetic integrity of all three sub-populations. A fence no less than 83 km long had already been built separating the Kainuu population and the reindeer farming area to the north, but it needed to be repaired and improved, so that cross-breeding would really be prevented. In a novel partnership, the road authorities would co-finance and design the grid-like reindeer stops to be built across potential escape routes where the fence crosses roads (for obvious reasons, gates can not be used here). With assistance from hunters, the project would remove domestic reindeer and hybrids from the forest reindeer habitat. The genome of the wild forest reindeer would be examined in co-operaton with the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the development of subpopulations would be monitored by aerial surveys. Local people's acceptance was to be improved by preventing and compensating the damage that forest reindeer cause to agriculture and forestry, and by informing them of the animals' ecology. Results The principal aim of this project was to maintain the genetic integrity of wild forest reindeer by keeping it separate from domestic reindeer. To prevent domestic reindeer and wild forest reindeer from mingling and cross-breeding, the fence, 83 km long, between the domestic reindeer herding area and the Kainuu wild forest reindeer population was repaired. When the project started it was in a bad condition and had gaps wherever a road crossed it. The fence was reinforced, using a team of unemployed men from Kainuu fifteen strong at the peak of the work, and provided with 8 cattle stops and 7 gates. The easternmost 2.8 km fence was repaired by reindeer herders (parallel to the LIFE-Nature project) and about 2 km totally new fence was built in the west by additional financing. The cattle stops have not proven to be 100 % reindeer proof, but they do decrease significantly the traffic between semi-domestic reindeer and wild forest reindeer. At project end, Kuopio airport showed an interest in using these stops to prevent elk wandering onto its runways. With the fence intact, the project, together with the reindeer herders, removed 56 domestic reindeer from the wrong side of the fence. Additionally, the reindeer herders removed dozens of reindeers by themselves. About 300 wild forest reindeer were marked with yellow earmarks during the project to ease their recognition. Seven wild forest reindeer were fitted with a collar with radio transmitter in order to follow their movements. Local people's acceptance of the wild forest reindeer was improved by preventing damages to agriculture and forestry (by building fences around fields and sapling stands) and also paying compensations. This succeeded well in Kainuu: 4 fields (one strawberry field and 3 hayfields) were fenced against wild forest reindeer. Additionally, fences built earlier with other funds were repaired (about 15 km in total). In Suomenselkä the situation was more complicated, because there fields were more numerous and on a much larger scale, so that fencing one field means that animals shift to another. Compensations were paid. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry launched a study on the damages caused in Suomenselka by the wild forest reindeer to

3 obtain objective information for assessment of the need for compensations. Planning and co-ordination of this study was part of the LIFE-Nature project. The aerial survey funded by LIFE also gave information about possible damages caused by the expanding wild reindeer population. The aerial survey needed a lot of preparatory work which was implemented by volunteers from hunters clubs who surveyed at ground level where the herds were located. Preliminary results of the study showed that the grazing of wild reindeer in fields is not necessarily very damaging, but depends on snow and weather conditions. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry began, towards the end of the project and under its impetus, to renew its Decree concerning the compensation system for damages caused by deer to also include damages caused by wild reindeer. During the LIFE project a new problem was the start-up of domestic reindeer farming near Suomenselkä, creating a risk of cross-breeding. The beneficiary lobbied against public funding support for this new activity and also requested official provisions that all domestic reindeer should be clearly marked with e.g. an ear tag. During the lifetime of the LIFE project the Game District of Ostrobothnia gave 53 permits to shoot wild forest reindeer in Suomenselkä (municipalities of Perho, Vimpeli, Alajärvi) the first time in the history of this reintroduced population. In Kainuu the Game District gave 30 permits to shoot wild forest reindeers and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry gave 20 permits to shoot unclear individuals, which means possible crossbreeds. Such hunting was not part of the LIFE-Nature project, but it did appear to have a positive effect among local people, allowing them to better accept damages done by the wild forest reindeer, since it was possible to shoot problem animals with a permit. The project was active in increasing awareness of wild forest reindeer. This is important as when the project began there were frictions between reindeer herders and conservationists, as well as farmers annoyance at damages. The local people and hunting clubs had been involved from the beginning of the introduction of the Suomenselkä sub-population in taking care of the winter feeding and monitoring. In Perho (Suomenselkä) the local community, by the end of the LIFE project, was planning a nature trail with observation platforms to generate wild reindeer-based tourism. The project attended the annual Riihimati game fairs, created websites in Finnish, Swedish and English and carried out active media work resulting in more than 80 newspaper articles plus broadcasts in radio and TV. Two films about the reindeer were even produced by external media agencies. Meetings for local people were arranged to increase local people s knowledge and acceptance of wild forest reindeer. A brochure was produced and articles published in Finnish and Swedish hunters' magazines. Altogether almost 800 hair, flesh or blood samples were collected from Finnish domestic and wild forest reindeers and wild forest reindeers of Russian Karelia. A DNA analysis was done by the University of Helsinki. The conclusion was that the wild forest reindeer in Finland is still genetically pure and coherent with the Karelian population, so it could be used for possible reintroduction if needed. This genetic study also contributed more information to help judge court cases, for example where somebody is accused of shooting a pure wild forest reindeer, not a crossbreed. The associated problem, concerning the possibility of determination of a crossbreed in the field by non-experts, is still open. Telling pure forest reindeer and crossbreeds apart in the field is certainly very difficult. The LIFE-Nature project has also been involved in the study Ex-situ conservation of endangered species by cryopreservation of gametes and embryos by Kuopio University sperm of wild forest reindeer was given to the university. In total the project cost 400,000 more than foreseen, i.e. LIFE

4 succeeded in mobilizing additional funds to do this extra work. The project was a success in terms of increasing the favourable status of Rangifer tarandus fennicus in its only distribution area within the EU. The wild reindeer population was about 1,500 individuals when the project started and the aerial surveys it undertook revealed that the total Finnish population approached 2,600 individuals at the completion of the project (about 1700 wild forest reindeer in Kainuu, 900 individuals in Suomenselkä and only about 20 in Lieksa). Especially in Kainuu, the project contributed to this increase, by reinforcing the fence and adding gates to prevent wild reindeer going to the domestic reindeer areas and getting killed there during the autumn musters. Poaching was also controlled better as the LIFE project hired a full-time inspector to check damages to the fence and keep an eye on illicit hunting. The Natura 2000 sites in the project area have a clear importance for the wild forest reindeer by providing quiet calving areas (mire areas which are surrounded by old forests). Environmental issues addressed: Themes Species - Mammals Keywords endangered species environmental impact of agriculture population dynamics protected area animal damage conservation of genetic resources forest ecosystem hunting introduction of animal species employment survey underprivileged people Target EU Legislation Nature protection and Biodiversity COM(2001)162 -"Biodiversity Action Plan for the conservation of natural resources (vol. I & II)"... Directive 92/43 - Conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora- Habitats Directiv... Decision 93/626 - Conclusion of the Convention on Biological Diversity ( ) COM(98)42 -"Communication on a European Community Biodiversity Strategy" ( ) Target species Rangifer tarandus fennicus

5 Natura 2000 sites SCI FI Ruunaa SCI FI Salamajärvi SCI FI Kinnussuo - Mustinsuo SCI FI Kalliojärven seutu - Joutensuo SCI FI Kukkosenvaaran alue SCI FI Vonganjärvi ja Vuorivaara SCI FI Elimyssalon alue SCI FI Teerisuon - Lososuon alue SCI FI Hirvivaaran - Suoniemensuon alue SCI FI Jonkerinsalon alue SCI FI Ulvinsalon alue SCI FI Lentuan alue SCI FI Iso Palonen - Maariansärkät SCI FI Kellojärven ranta-alueet ja saaret SCI FI Karhisensuo - Pyöreäsuo - Lokkisuo SCI FI Hiidenportin alueet SCI FI Rimpisuo Beneficiaries: Coordinator Type of organisation Description Partners Metsästäjäin Keskusjärjestö NGO-Foundation Hunters' Central Organisation (Metsästäjäin keskusjärjestö) works under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Its tasks by law are to develop hunting and game management and experiments in game management, to promote training and awareness- raising of hunting and game management, to guide and follow the activities of game management districts, to implement tasks defined by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and to implement all other tasks defined by law. Metsähallitus, Kainuun puistoalue Oulun tiepiiri Oulun yliopisto Kainuun riistanhoitopiiri Maaja metsätalousministeriö Metsähallitus, pääkonttori

6 Administrative data: Project reference LIFE98 NAT/FIN/ Duration 01-FEB-1998 to 30-JUN Total budget 811, EU contribution 405, Pohjois-Karjala(Finland Suomi) Kainuu(Finland Project location Suomi) Keski-Suomi(Finland Suomi) Etelä-Pohjanmaa(Finland Suomi) Read more: Brochure Project web site Publication: Case study Title: The wild forest reindeer Author: various Year: 1999 Editor: Metsästäjäin keskusjärjestö website Title: Fennoskandian metsäpeuran populaatiogenetiikka: DNA-tuntomerkit rotupuhtauden tutkimuksessa (Population genetics of the Fennoscandian wild forest reindeer: use of DNA characters to assess racial purity) Author: R.Väinölä, H. Mäkinen, P. Katajisto Year: 2001 Editor: Helsingin yliopisto, Eläinmuseo No of pages: 34 Project description Environmental issues Beneficiaries Administrative data Read more