In situ feedong observations of wild mountain reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in Setesdal Austhei and Brattefjell-Vindeggen. A unique window into the wild reindeer's behaviour and their use of forested areas

Abstract

Free-roaming wild mountain reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) are by nature shy and difficult to approach and are only observable from a distance in open mountain areas, especially the wild reindeer in Southern Norway who tend to use forested areas in summer and autumn. Only three other studies have used cameras fitted to wild reindeer; only one was on wild mountain reindeer in Norway. The data was sampled from animal-borne videos from March to October from two female reindeer, each in two areas where the reindeer are known to utilize forests for grazing. This provided direct observation of their grazing behaviour and to what extent and what they eat, mainly when they utilize less open forested areas.

The results show that both the reindeer use different forest habitats from early spring till late summer, but that alpine heathlands are important habitats year-round, and dwarf shrub heaths are used frequently in summer too. Mountain birch forests and spruce forests are the most used forest types for feeding; mountain birch forests are the most used in Setesdal Austhei, and the blueberry-dominated spruce forest in Brattefjell-Vindeggen. The most eaten vegetation in both areas was herbs and grasses (graminoids), while the second most eaten was lichen, used for grazing even in summer.