Cars and reindeer do not mix, as police in southeast Iceland are well aware.
A reindeer was found struck by a car and laying by the side of the road in south Iceland this morning. This news comes just days after another reindeer was struck by a vehicle in the east.
As tragic as these deaths are, even more tragic is that they are not anomalies.
Grétar Már Þorkelsson, a police officer from Höfn in southeast Iceland, told Vísir that the winter is an especially busy time for reindeer getting hit by cars.
“About 30 or 40 reindeer get struck by cars here over the winter,” he said. “Especially when there’s this kind of weather, and they start spreading out looking for something to eat.”
Weather conditions in east and south Iceland have been especially snowy and cold lately, which can drive reindeer herds down from higher elevations and closer to the roads. If you are driving around Iceland, maintain a safe speed and keep your eyes open for four-legged friends who have wandered onto the asphalt.
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