More than 100 reindeer dead in Norway after getting hit by freight train

More than 100 reindeer in Norway have been killed over the last few days after being hit by freight trains. (John Erling Utsi, NTB scanpix via AP)

More than 100 reindeer in Norway have been killed in recent days after getting caught on tracks and subsequently hit by speeding freight trains, sparking an outcry to erect some type of barrier during their migration.

Torstein Appfjell, a reindeer herder who was “dizzy with anger,” called the deaths “totally tragic” and “unprecedented.” He said that the worst incident occurred on Saturday when 65 reindeer were killed.

He said over 106 reindeer were killed since Thursday, making it the worst 12-month period they have seen in the area. At least 250 animals were killed in train accidents since last November.

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Groups of reindeer, led by their herders, have been migrating from their summer pasture in the mountainous regions of Norway towards the coast, according to Sky News. But many of the animals get caught on the train tracks.

Residents in the area, tired of seeing the animals being slaughtered every year, are calling for a barrier to be constructed to prevent and protect the animals from train tracks.

Local media has reported that Bane NOR, the company which runs the train, has since reduced speeds in the area in response to the massacre.

Earlier warnings for trains to decrease speed at the migration areas failed to reach the train operators due to a “technical failure,” Sky News reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.