Finnish reindeer herders in the Arctic have painted Rudolph's antlers in fluorescent colors, hung reflectors around their necks, and even used movable traffic signs, but none of their efforts have helped reduce the annual 4,000 reindeer road deaths. Reindeer traffic warning signs were pinched by tourists for souvenirs, and reindeer would scrape off the fluorescent paint from their antlers. Now wildlife officials have decided on a new tactic: an interactive reindeer warning app where drivers can tap their mobile phone screens to register any reindeer they see and get warnings if they're approaching an area where reindeer have been spotted. They're hoping to save at least some of the 300,000 reindeer that wonder freely in the wilds of Lapland, sometimes described as the last wilderness in Europe. "Drivers often mistook reindeer with reflectors for people in the dark, thinking they wouldn't run into the middle of the road when they saw car headlights approaching,” said Anne Ollila, Director of Finnish Reindeer Herders Association. Reindeer husbandry provides work for some 10,000 people in the region, so wildlife officials are hoping the app will do the trick and keep the herds from diminishing.
