The recent surge in reindeer deaths has left Finnish herders like Juha Kujala grappling with uncertainty. With each passing December, the number of reindeer returning to his farm from the vast wilderness along the Finnish-Russian border remains a mystery. This ancient practice, passed down through generations, has been disrupted by a grim discovery: the remains of reindeer skeletons scattered across the forest floor.
Kujala believes the culprits are wolves from Russia, seemingly oblivious to the geopolitical tensions between the two nations. Large predators like wolves and bears roam freely across the heavily forested frontier, and while most go unnoticed, the Finnish side has witnessed a record number of wolf attacks on reindeer, sparking concern among herders.
"The last year has been devastating for us. The reindeer are an easy target for these wolves," Kujala laments, his reindeer spending the winter near Kuusamo, a stone's throw from the Russian border. "You can see the telltale signs of a wolf attack: they go for the throat and legs. It's a gruesome sight, and one that's all too familiar now."
