Joe Kahlo
Driving at night can be dangerous, especially when there are wild animals roaming around.
It is almost impossible to spot one in your path when you’re speeding down the road before it’s too late.
This is an issue in Finland, where an estimated 4,000 reindeer die every year due to vehicle accidents and cause around $18 million in damages. So it was time somebody did something about it.
A group called the Finnish Reindeer Herders Association was inspired to come up with a solution. One of the simplest yet ingenious stood out, to spray the animals with reflective paint.
It is essentially like giving the animal a high-visibility jacket in the hope that they glow when the light hits them, to make it more likely for a motorist to spot them.
“The spray is being tested on fur at the moment, but it may be even more effective on the antlers because they are seen from every side,” said Anne Ollila, the chairwoman of the Reindeer Herders Association.
“[The antlers] interest broadly around the world and was the best campaign so far,” the association said. “There are some problems with the durability and utility, but the product development continues.”
All image credits go to: Reindeer Herder’s Association
