"Juha Kujala no longer knows how many reindeer will return to his farm from the forest each December. The 54-year-old herder releases his animals into the wilderness on the 830-mile Finnish-Russian border each spring to grow fat on lichens, grass and mushrooms, just as his ancestors have done for generations. But since 2022, grisly discoveries of reindeer skeletons on the forest floor have disrupted this ancient way of life."
"They suspect that Russian wolf numbers have exploded after hunters were sent to the frontline in Ukraine, driving the predators to search for new territory in Finland. The last year has been the worst ever for wolf attacks in this area. The reindeer are an easy catch for them, says Kujala, whose reindeer are spending the winter at his farm near Kuusamo."
"You can see the signs that it is wolves: they go for the throat and the legs. When you've seen enough dead ones, you can tell. My home is 38km from the Russian border. When it snows, you can see the tracks coming from their side, he adds."
A herder on the Finnish-Russian border releases reindeer into the wilderness each spring and no longer knows how many will return in December. Since 2022, herders have found grisly reindeer skeletons chewed to the bone after apparent wolf attacks. Herders suspect wolf numbers in Russia rose after hunters were sent to Ukraine, pushing predators into Finnish territory. A record 2,124 reindeer were reported killed by wolves in 2025, likely an undercount. Herders share photos of carcasses, but authorities say definitive causes are difficult to establish and cross-border monitoring is limited.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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