Reindeer during the 10th Arctic Race of Norway, Stage 2 a 153.4km stage from Alta to Hammerfest on August 18, 2023 in Hammerfest, Norway.
Luc Claessen/Getty Images
42 reindeer from Norway have crossed into Russia this year in search of better pastures.But Russia wants over $4.4 million in compensation for the reindeer grazing in a national park.Norway is now repairing a rundown fence between the two countries to prevent future crossings.
Russia is demanding compensation from Norway for runaway reindeer chewing up Russian grassland.
Both countries share a common border in the Arctic. And while there’s a fence to prevent reindeer from crossing borders, that barrier dates back to 1954 with parts in disrepair, the Norwegian Directorate of Agriculture said in a statement last Thursday.
The rundown fence has allowed 42 reindeer to cross into Russia this year in search of better pastures in Pasvik Zapovednik, a Russian national park.
But the crossings could prove costly.
Russia has already sent two compensation claims to Norway for the runaway reindeer for all the grazing, according to the same statement.
One claim is for about 50,000 kroner, or $4,700, per reindeer that crossed into Russia. The other claim is for a lump sum of nearly 47 million kroner, or $4.4 million. The latter claim is calculated based on the total number of days the reindeer have spent grazing in the national park.
The Norwegian agriculture authority plans to meet with the Russian national park to discuss compensation.
The authority said that 40 of the 42 reindeer that crossed into Russia have been returned and slaughtered for fear they would cross into Russia again. The other two could be returned soon.
Meanwhile, Norway’s agriculture directorate has reminded people to keep their reindeer in check. Reindeer are herded by the indigenous Sami people in Norway.
“It is strictly forbidden to cross the border into Russia, for reindeer too,” the Norwegian Directorate of Agriculture said in a statement last Thursday, according to an AFP translation.
Norway is also repairing a 7-kilometer, or 4.3-mile, section of the reindeer fence at the cost of 3.7 million kroner. The repairs are expected to be completed by October 1.
The Norwegian Directorate of Agriculture and Russia’s natural resources and environment ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Insider sent outside regular business hours.