Castration Helps Reindeer Handle Climate Change

Researchers say they forage for food better, then share it

When Al Gore heard this, he said, finally there is an answer to this burdensome thing. We de-populate the planet, and create a warm and fuzzy for our fellow man. What could be better?

The indigenous Sami peoples in the Arctic have found a way to help reindeer survive the ravages of climate change—but we’re guessing the deer don’t like it too much. Fluctuating temperatures have been a challenge for the reindeer, because melting snow often refreezes and forms ice over the pastures they feed on. Sami researchers have found that castrating male reindeer allows them to more easily break the ice, in part because they keep their antlers later into winter.

It also makes the males more likely to share their food with calves that would otherwise starve to death. “To make herds more resilient in the future, we need to relearn the traditional knowledge of castration,” one professor tells Reuters. Specifically, they’re aiming for “half-castration,” which renders animals sterile, but able to produce testosterone. More at Newser