Show consideration towards wild reindeer
The wild reindeer population in Rondane is one of the few original herds left in Europe. The population has little or no intermingling with domesticated reindeer, and the animals are very shy. It does not take much to disturb the reindeer, and they will often catch wind of us long before we see them. Therefore, you should always move slowly away from the area if you meet wild reindeer in the mountains. This is important all year round, but especially in spring during the calving/nursery season and in winter when access to food is limited. By scaring the wild reindeer, we deprive them of time that should have been spent on vital grazing and rest. Read more about the wild reindeer at villrein.no
Rondane wild reindeer area status
Rondane wild reindeer area is long and narrow, making the whole area accessible to tourists on day-trips. This has caused the wild reindeer to stop using large parts of the area, which used to be protected in order to safeguard the animals. Today, the population is managed as two to three sub-populations that are separated from each other. Before technical development took place, Rondane and Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella were a major habitat for wild reindeer. The area stretched from Sunndalsfjella in the west to Trollheimen in the north, Rørosvidda and Forollhogna in the east and southwards to the forested areas towards Lillehammer and Hamar. Throughout the year, the wild reindeer set off on their annual migration between different grazing grounds and areas of habitat. Many large trapping sites are evidence that the animals migrated through certain areas, where current developments and use hinder their migration today.Measures
Conservation of wild reindeer habitats has long been high on the agenda in Rondane, and it is important to highlight that many measures have been taken to improve wild reindeer living conditions. The regulation of traffic on important roads, the closure/relocation of trails and the relocation of tourist cabins are just some of the measures that have been implemented.
Wild reindeer hunting
Wild reindeer are a red-listed species, and it may sound strange to many people that we hunt reindeer. The reason why you are likely to meet reindeer hunters in Rondane from 20 August to mid-September is due to population control. Due to constant reductions in wild reindeer habitats, we must regulate the number of animals. This is done so the reindeer have enough food throughout the year, and to avoid disease.The fascinating primeval animal
Did you know that reindeer are the only large mammals where both sexes have antlers? And that their antlers grow (up to 2 cm a day) and fall off every single year? Male reindeer use their antlers during the rutting season to fight with each other in order to win the females. However, they shed their antlers when winter approaches. Female reindeer, on the other hand, retain their antlers throughout the winter in order to fight for the best grazing grounds. Reindeer are extremely well adapted to a meager existence in the mountains, and they are not affected by the cold until the temperature reaches -40 oC. During the winter, 40 to 80% of their food consists of lichen that they find on the ground and on trees, the remainder consists of dry grass and small shrubs – a diet on which no other large mammal could survive.
