Evaluering av teknologiske løsninger mot tamreinpåkjørsel langs Nordlandsbanen

Abstract

Reindeer-train-collisions (RTC) are a challenge for Norwegian society and the northern Norwegian train company Bane NOR with regard to animal welfare, wildlife ecology, animal husbandry, reindeer herding and the working environment for train drivers and employees of Bane NOR. On behalf of Bane NOR the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO) investigated putative technological solutions to improve RTCs. The study is a result of literature research, interviews with Bane NOR employees, reindeer herders, researchers, companies and road administration project leaders and an analysis of Bane NOR´s own database of animal-train-collisions. The RTC records of the last 11 years (jan 2008 – dec 2018) revealed that prioritizing preventive measures against collisions with female reindeer along the Saltfjellet region during winter, especially during the Arctic night, are most promising. This also happens to be the most damaging time of the year for reindeer herders as they struggle to find damaged animals in the dark. Expensive and timeconsuming search efforts are a major concern with regard to animal welfare. Additionally, damaged animals are often – if at all – found long after the accident and can not be brought into Connection with a specific RTC, i.e. the herders can not claim monetary compensation…….