In Sweden, there are plans to build twelve special Renoducts bridges over highways and railways to allow reindeer to travel safely. The first structures will be built in the city of Umeå by the end of 2021
This decision of the government is due to the fact that animals, in search of food, move away from their usual habitats and often become victims of accidents, reports The Guardian.
According to the landscape ecologist at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Pera Sandström, the bridges will allow animals to access alternative pastures. At the same time, they will not block highways during migration.
They plan to build bridges in the north of the country, in the provinces of Norrbotten and Västerbotten. The structures will be protected by two-meter fences to prevent the animals from jumping off. "It is important that the bridges do not resemble tunnels and that the reindeer do not feel like they are trapped," said reindeer herder Tobias Jonsson.
In winter, it is difficult for animals to reach lichens, which form a key part of their diet. Warm and humid winters lead to rain, and when the temperature drops below freezing, ice forms on the ground, as a result of which the deer cannot smell food. Because of this, animals migrate.
