Much of the plateau is protected as part of Hardangervidda National Park, which is home to approximately 10,000 reindeer, making it Norway’s largest wild reindeer range. Five animals had to be euthanized, said officials, who told the news service that they were not sure what they would do with the bodies.
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Of the 323 reindeer killed, 70 were calves, the Norwegian Environment Agency says. The animals, which huddle together in danger and to protect themselves from bad weather, were killed by lightning. When the seasons change, thousands of reindeer migrate across the plateau.
A freak lightning storm has killed 323 reindeer in a remote mountainous area of Norway, officials said on Monday.
A spokesperson for the German Red Cross said 71 people were injured during lightning strikes on Friday, including eight who had to be hospitalised. “I don’t know if there were several lighting strikes, but it happened in one moment”.
It could be the deadliest lightning strike in history.
Guinness don’t seem to have a record for wildlife deaths due to lightning strikes, but surely this tragic incident would be a tough one to outnumber.
Norwegian Nature Inspectorate Knut Nylend told Norwegian news agency, NTB, that samples from the reindeer were sent to the Norwegian Veterinary Institute to confirm how the animals died. A ranger found the dead animals later in the day, all lying close to each other.
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Hundreds of wild reindeer were killed by lightning in Central Norway.
