South Georgia plans removal of reindeer herds with Norwegian advisors

Wednesday, June 13th 2012 - 18:13 UTC

Full article 23 comments

The South Georgia Government has released the report of a reconnaissance trip by two experts from the Norwegian Nature Inspectorate investigating the practicalities of eliminating reindeer from the South Georgia Island. Read full article

Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules

GreekYoghurt
Those are clearly implanted deer and should be rounded up and 'sent to montevideo' (i.e. pushed into the sea like french nuns).

They stole the land, and it was clearly Argentine because the spanish gave it to Argentina (no they didn't).

RAGEEEE QUIT!
Jun 13th, 2012 - 06:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
Logorrhea Alert
Ode to the Reindeer:

Around, all around, the sinister creatures gather.
My dread grows as doom's scythe falls against my neck.
It slays me, and darkly my
blood drips
to the dead grass.
In numbness I flail madly
while the Reaper laughs cruelly.
Now alone, my cry of mercy falls upon the uncaring winds.
Help me Santa.
This is my doom.
Jun 13th, 2012 - 06:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
jerry
“South Georgia plans removal of reindeer herds with Norwegian advisors” ??? Does mean that reindeer herds without Norwegian advisors get to stay?
Jun 13th, 2012 - 09:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
JohnN
A challenging process to try to rectify the ecology of South Georgia, but seems appropriate to try to re-establish a pre-contact environment. I guess the restaurants of Stanley may have some reindeer dinner specials soon?
Link to the South Georgia website of further information: http://www.sgisland.gs/index.php/(h)South_Georgia_News_and_Events
Jun 13th, 2012 - 09:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
José Malvinero
The reindeer and mountain goats were introduced by Larsen by CAP, Compania Argentina de Pesca, Argentina, 1904 company. In 1908 the Anglo-pirates began with their claims on South Georgia (discovered by the Spanish in 1756) and assumed rights not only on these islands, but also on Santa Cruz, Tierra del Fuego and southern Chile creating a conflict with two countries. Claim recently retired in 1917! SOUTH GEORGIA ISLAND ARE ARGENTINE.
Jun 13th, 2012 - 10:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
KFC de Pollo
@5 you are aware the company was operating under license from the uk and Argentina has no claim over those islands at all.
Jun 14th, 2012 - 01:26 am - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
Frank
@ 4 Not as challenging as rectifying the ecology of Argentina... a precontact environment?.... I don't think Spain and Italy want their rejects back....
Jun 14th, 2012 - 01:34 am - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
Idlehands
What a lovely Christmas story to tell the children.
Jun 14th, 2012 - 03:36 am - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
Boovis
@5: Again, wrong, it was discovered by a London Merchant nearly a century earlier than that. Maybe if the Spanish Wikipedia actually had any proper information on the islands, you would know that.
Jun 14th, 2012 - 07:27 am - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
Musky
South Georgia is Argentine! Well of course it is, it's on the same continental shelf!!!! What a load of hogwash and I'm sure even Rudoplh the Red Nosed Reindeer and his mates would agree!
Jun 14th, 2012 - 09:01 am - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
Idlehands
Are they going to relocate any of them or will they all be turning up on barbecues?
Jun 14th, 2012 - 09:13 am - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
GreekYoghurt
It seems Argentina history doesn't exist before 1904 either.

They are truly imbeciles.
Jun 14th, 2012 - 10:04 am - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
DJ56
#10

Next thing argentina will be claiming the entire world is theirs because its all on the same planet as their precious shithole!
Jun 14th, 2012 - 11:49 am - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
ChrisR
If the inbred Argies (aka Malvinistas) need to be culled because they have a skewed gene pool, can I shoot a few?

:o)
Jun 14th, 2012 - 01:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
Conqueror
@5 Now, now, now, Jose. South Georgia is in the bit that Portugal got under the well-known and thoroughly discredited papal bull called Inter Caetera. Don't be a greedy little pillock!
Jun 14th, 2012 - 04:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
Pugol-H
Anyway South Georgia was discovered by the British in 1675.

The Spanish never got there.
Jun 14th, 2012 - 06:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
GeoffWard2
Naughty, naughty, Chris #14

Skewed gene pools have created our illustrious monarchies
- cull, in a Jubilee year?
But then we might have to resort to Presidents/Presidentas ....
Jun 14th, 2012 - 08:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
DennisA
The usual conservation policy, slaughter anything you don't like and turn the clock back to a by-gone age.
Jun 15th, 2012 - 06:11 am - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
GeoffWard2
...... but then came Sargassum Weed, Japanese Knotweed, the Lionfish and the Crown of Thorns Starfish ......
A 'Weed' is 'a plant in the wrong place' .... these reindeer are simply weeds on legs.
Some 'weeds' can be eradicated - especially those isolated island faunas; others are super-invasive and become 'the new natural'.
Jun 15th, 2012 - 09:59 am - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
Conqueror
@18 Do you think that after 40 years of research and debate before coming to the conclusion that the reindeer should be “removed”, not ”slaughtered, your comment might be a little hasty.
Jun 15th, 2012 - 11:53 am - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
ChrisR
17 GeoffWard2

I could always try the Argie argument: but I want to shoot a few Malvanistas, nobody will notice AND I have been in Uruguay for a WHOLE 13 MONTHS! So I can shoot them can't I. Goes on ad infinitum. :o)
Jun 15th, 2012 - 01:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
José Malvinero
Some ARGENTINE arguments for the sovereignty of the South Georgia (San Pedro) South (among others):

- Law of the discovery by the Spanish vessel Leon, in 1756.
- Recognition by the world's major countries of Spain membership of the adjacent islands to the mainland (as owner of the continent).
- Recognition of other maritime states (England) by signing the Treaty of San Lorenzo (Nootka Sound) in 1790 (violated by this country in 1765, 1806, 1807, the English are characterized by respect all that sign) that prevented him from taking any island in the Spanish part of South America.
- Succession of the Rights of Spain, and human first permanent settlement in 1904 by Argentina.
- Doctrine of the Continental Shelf of the United Nations Conference on Law of the Sea, and extension of the continental shelf of coastal states.
- Whenever the Malvinas question was treated as a unit with Georgia and Sandwiches.
- Unanimous recognition of the countries of the region (OAS)

BRITISH arguments for the sovereignty of South Georgia (San Pedro) South:

- Geographic proximity?
- Force?
-? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
-? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
-? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
-? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
-? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
-? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
-? ? ? ? ? ? ?
-? ? ? ? ? ?
-? ? ? ?
-? ? ?
-? ?
-?
SOUTH GEORGIA ISLAND ARE ARGENTINE
Jun 16th, 2012 - 01:20 am - Link - Report abuse 0
-+
Clyde15
@22
Round spherical objects!
Jun 17th, 2012 - 10:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0
-+

Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!