Each year, vehicle collisions in Finland result in the deaths of roughly 4,000 reindeer and cause €15 million in damages. To combat this, the Finnish Reindeer Herders Association is testing the application of reflective paint to reindeer antlers. This aims to make the animals more visible to drivers, especially during peak accident periods like the dark, icy months of November and December, and the mosquito-plagued months of July and August. The association believes painting antlers could be particularly effective as they are visible from all angles, a direct animal-focused approach compared to typical road-based safety measures.
Each year, vehicle collisions in Finland result in the deaths of roughly 4,000 reindeer and cause €15 million in damages. To combat this, the Finnish Reindeer Herders Association is testing the application of reflective paint to reindeer antlers. This aims to make the animals more visible to drivers, especially during peak accident periods like the dark, icy months of November and December, and the mosquito-plagued months of July and August. The association believes painting antlers could be particularly effective as they are visible from all angles, a direct animal-focused approach compared to typical road-based safety measures.