Poaching and climate change might be the reasons why more than 1,200 migrating animals did not make it across the wide Arctic waterway.
In less than three years, the number of animals on the island of Kolguyev dropped from more than 12,000 to only 153.
Locals in the far northern Russian region believe between 60,000-80,000 animals might have died of starvation over the past few months. The tragedy follows the formation of a thick layer of ice across major parts of the Yamal tundra.
In the course of summer, the whole reindeer population of the Nenets tundra will be made immune against the lethal bacteria infection.
Climate change is triggering behavior change among animals across the Arctic. In Northern Siberia wild reindeer this summer started migrating almost a month earlier than normal.
Following mass deaths of animals, the once powerful cooperative managing the reindeer flocks in the island of Kolguyev shuts down.
More than 658,000 reindeer are up for vaccination in order to prevent another outbreak of the deadly bacteria infection.
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