HELSINKI — Rudolph the reindeer is having a glittering antler
makeover — the latest attempt to halt some of the thousands of road
deaths of the roaming caribou in the wilds of Finland.
Anne Ollila of the Finnish Reindeer Herder's Association says the
antlers of 20 reindeer have been painted with various fluorescent
dyes to see how the animals react and whether the paints are
resistant to the harsh Arctic climate.
If successful, animals with glittering antlers will be free to roam
Lapland — a vast, deserted area in northern Finland where herders
tend to some 200,000 reindeer.
Ollila says reflectors and reflective tape have proven unsuccessful
as reindeer have torn them off — and road signs warning drivers of
roaming reindeer often are stolen by tourists as souvenirs.
