It can be
practically hard to see a wild animal on the road before it's too late when
traveling at night. Finland estimates that over 4,000 reindeer are killed in traffic
accidents each year. The tragic occurrence is extremely expensive; the damages
are projected to exceed €15 million (almost $18 million) per year.
Photo
credits: Anne Ollila
This has
prompted organizations such as the Finnish Reindeer Herders Association to come
up with some methods to reduce fatalities and costs. One simple-yet-ingenious
idea was to shower the creatures with reflective paint, causing them to sparkle
when exposed to light.
The
Reindeer Herders Association painted various areas of the creature with the
paint in 2014 thus giving them a bicycle vest. The organization thought that
doing so it would make the deer more visible to passing automobiles. This would
allow the driver time to slow down and the animal time to flee before a
fatality occurred.
“The spray
is currently being tried on fur but it may be much more effective on antlers
because they can be seen from all sides,” revealed Anne Ollila, chairwoman of
the Reindeer Herders Association, explained
at the time. The antlers and parts of the reindeer's back were seen shining in
the dark in photos of the reindeer.
While a
brilliant idea in principle, the Finnish Reindeer Herders Association
discovered that it was less effective in practice—but they aren't giving up.
“[The antlers] piqued people's interest all over the world, and it was the best
advertising yet,” the
association said. “There are certain issues with durability and
utility but product development is ongoing.”
The
reflective painting in Finland is only one example of how humans are attempting
to keep animals safe. Several locations throughout the world are also
constructing wildlife crossings,
which are overpasses that allow animals to cross busy highways and enter their
natural habitat. Take a look at this life-saving
bridge in Utah.
Reindeer in Finland are getting their
antlers painted with bright paint to help save their lives in catastrophic
vehicle accidents.
Photo
credits: Reindeer Herder’s Association
Photo
credits: Reindeer Herder’s Association
H/t: [Smithsonian Magazine, Atlas Obscura]
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