Let's brainstorm some more, design a special hunter-seeker robot powered by AI that captures deer in the wild and performs this menial task.
Thank you, I'll show myself out.
I was driving on a two-lane highway and saw a deer up ahead on the side of the road so I started slowing down. The deer saw me, panicked and ran into the brush/woods, then changed direction and ran out and back toward the highway. I kept slowing. It changed direction and ran back toward the woods, changed direction again and ran back toward the highway. By now I was at a full stop and parallel to the deer. It ran head first into the side of my truck, fell down, got up and sort of stumbled back into the woods…
I hope they stared in horror and not arousal, otherwise these deer will never learn
The sad thing is when an animal somehow gets over it, under it, however, and is then trapped on the highway side.
And based on the USGS map, it is very common in WI.
For deer it would be trickier, but I imagine you could somehow do it by setting up feeding stations (pretty common with hunters) and spray them when they approach it. But it would be messy. Now my imagination is wandering, please stop me.
"The virtual fence is the latest attempt to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions. It uses a line of posts spaced along the roadside, each with a unit producing loud sounds and flashing lights aimed away from the road. Vehicle headlights activate the units, which are claimed to alert animals and reduce the risk of collision."
https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/wildlife/2024...
https://www.hlsnewforest.org.uk/2024/10/24/reflective-collar...
https://apnews.com/general-news-801aa30308b24b459251c60d569d...
None of these animals instincts prepared them for the cacophony and lightshow of transportation. Everyone doing 15mph might solve 90% though, but I'll let that be your running platform.
https://transportation.libguides.com/c.php?g=849313&p=607536...
They also prevent predation by exterminating all predators that threaten their herds.
These seem to be either domesticated or herded on certain territories by natives. So spray painting a herd may not be as hard as it sounds.
From https://reindeerherding.org/world-reindeer-herders
> The Association of World Reindeer Herders is a voluntary civil society organization for all the 24 different nomadic indigenous peoples who make a living from reindeer herding across 10 nation-states in the circumpolar north, formally founded during the 1st World Congress of Reindeer Herders in 1997.
Reindeer are the only deer where the male and female both grow antlers, so it could help.
But… antlers fall off and regrow the next year, so you’d have to keep repainting…
Also, when the males rut, they tend to scrape their antlers on trees, so that’s probably not good for keeping paint on the antlers. Bonus! Finnish drivers will likely be able to see reflective trees and avoid them!
The raindeer is not affraid of cars, they just stand there doing nothing until they get hit. It might be a big herd with hundreds of animals on the road and another thousand in the surrounding forest so not much place to run either.
I believe deer loose their antlers every year. Painting thousands of deer every year seems impossible.
Or are the referring to deer that are being herded ?
> Finnish Lapland has a reindeer population of about 200,000. That’s 20,000 more reindeer than people! [1]
[0] https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/news-in-brief/19376-fin...
[1] https://www.lapland.fi/visit/meet-reindeer-ailo/year-of-the-...
/s
That sounds far-fetched to me, but I could also see it as a form of dangerous poaching.
The drivers feel that the Sami puts the reindeer on the road to be in the way and cash in on the money they get for the killed raindeers. (Secret tip: It's not enough to be worth it to watch your domestic animals die in your hands or be forced to finnish them off yourself because the owner are forced to take care of the dead animals.)
[0] https://swedenherald.com/article/three-reindeer-killed-linke...
Fur is €300 and canned meat is €10 / 100 grams. So 50 kilo reindeer is eventually worth over €5000.
Yes, anybody can own a reindeer in Finland, but there are important regulations to follow. Reindeer herding is a traditional livelihood, particularly for the Sámi people, and is heavily regulated, especially in the northern Reindeer Husbandry Area (covering about 36% of Finland). Here’s a breakdown: Private Ownership: You can own a reindeer as a private individual, similar to owning other livestock. There are no explicit laws prohibiting non-Sámi or non-residents from owning reindeer, but practical and legal considerations apply.
Reindeer Husbandry Area: In this designated region (mostly Lapland), reindeer herding is managed by the Reindeer Herders’ Association. If you want to keep reindeer here, you must coordinate with local herding cooperatives, as grazing lands are shared. Unauthorized herding can disrupt communal practices.
Outside the Reindeer Husbandry Area: South of this area, you can keep reindeer on private land (e.g., as pets or for tourism), but you need permission from the local agricultural authority, as reindeer are considered livestock under Finnish law.
Practical Challenges: Reindeer require specific care (e.g., grazing land, protection from predators). Without experience or infrastructure, it’s challenging to keep them. Most owners are part of herding cooperatives due to the animals’ semi-wild nature and migratory needs.
Legal Requirements: You must register reindeer with authorities, mark their ears for identification, and comply with animal welfare laws. The Finnish Food Authority oversees livestock regulations.
Cultural Sensitivity: Reindeer herding is central to Sámi culture. Non-Sámi owning reindeer, especially for commercial purposes, can be sensitive if it competes with traditional herding.
If you’re considering owning a reindeer, you’d need to: Check if you’re in the Reindeer Husbandry Area and contact the local cooperative.
Secure land and permits.
Ensure you can meet the animal’s needs.
For specific guidance, contact the Reindeer Herders’ Association (Paliskuntain yhdistys) or local agricultural authorities. If you want me to search for real-time information or analyze related content (e.g., from X or the web), let me know!
Really? That's roughly equivalent to $50/pound! I understand that may change from region to region, but that seems ten times too expensive.