How 10 Reindeer Introduced to South Georgia Island Caused an Eco-Disaster
In 1911, ten reindeer left on the island of South Georgia near Antarctica by Norwegian whalers to meet their fresh meat needs, morphed into a colossal environmental disaster within a century. With no natural predators and a population that swelled to 7,000, invasive deer were eradicated through large-scale operations involving helicopters and sharpshooters.
The Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) has unveiled the details of one of the largest invasive species eradication operations in the polar region.
A century ago, 10 reindeer were released on the island both to remind the workers of their homeland and to provide a constant supply of fresh meat. However, this act has brought the unique nature of the region to the brink of extinction.
Due to the glaciers in the inner parts of the island, the reindeer were forced to multiply only in the ice-free coastal regions, which boast the richest biodiversity. With the closure of the whaling stations and the cessation of hunting in the mid-20th century, the uncontrolled growing herd inflicted heavy damage on the island's ecosystem.
The excessive grazing and trampling by the animals completely wiped out the native 'tussac' grasses, which grow longer than humans. The bare soil on the slopes was washed away by the rain.
The underground nests of the storm birds, unique to the region, were crushed and destroyed by the massive herds of reindeer.
The disturbed soil was taken over by foreign weed species.
In the wake of the ongoing disaster, a decision was made in 2010 to eradicate all the reindeer on the island.
The eradication operation, conducted in two phases in 2013 and 2014, saw the participation of local Sami herders, Norwegian sharpshooters, veterinarians, and scientists:
In flat areas, Sami herders gathered the reindeer into pens and, under veterinary supervision, slaughtered them. The resulting meat, weighing more than 7.6 tons, was sold to restaurants via cruise ships. In cliffy and steep terrains, sharpshooters hunted thousands of reindeer over a span of six weeks. In total, approximately 7,000 reindeer were killed, completely eradicating the centuries-old reindeer population on the island.
With the complete removal of the reindeer and subsequently the invasive rats from the island, the South Georgia ecosystem began to self-recover and host native plant and bird species again for the first time in decades.
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