There is an island off the coast of Norway called Svalbard. This is where 200 reindeer deaths have recently been reported. Their cause of death has not been officially determined. However, there are some scientists who believe that climate change was the culprit. These people think that the reindeer were not able to find an adequate food supply because the the dramatic changes in temperature that have taken place around the region where the island is located. The reindeer remains would indicate that starvation is the most likely cause of death. There are also no known predators in the area.
Svalbard and the surrounding area have experienced the impact of climate change more than any other place on the planet. The temperature increase it has experienced over the past decade has severely impacted all of the wildlife that call the region their home. This is the most dead reindeer that have been found at one time. Researchers are concerned that more mass animal deaths will happen in the future if the climate change continues at its current rate. Only time will tell if that is going to happen.
One of the main problems that led to the reindeer deaths had to do with the large amount of rain that has fallen on the island in recent weeks. This rain froze and created a barrier that kept the reindeer from being able to eat the grass that was beneath it. This is the main source of their food. There were also many young reindeer because of many births that happened last year. There were many more than usual. Many of these young reindeer were killed when food supplies became scarce. This is usually what happens in situations when harsh weather limits the amount of available food. The youngest and weakest of the herd are always the first to die.
The problem of reindeer not having enough to eat is a growing problem for Svalbard. Local politicians and researchers are not sure what they can do about the problem. They are starting to raise awareness of the problems that climate change is causing to their region by posting photos on Instagram. They are hoping that the leaders of the world will take notice and begin to realize how serious the situation has become. President Donald Trump has said on numerous occasions that he is not a believer in global warming or climate change.
