Finland Reindeer Do Shine After Being Painted With Reflective Paint, And That's For Their Own Good!

The Finnish Reindeer Herders Association is trying a way to help avoid reindeer being killed in car accidents due to restricted sightings at night. Among the suggested ideas is to make these bulls more visible to motorists by covering them with reflective paint - which seems a simple but highly practical solution.
"The aim is to prevent traffic accidents. 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," shared Anne Ollila, chairwoman of the Reindeer Herders Association.

Source: Finnish Reindeer Herders Association

The paint is believed to reduce the number of highway collisions and protect these large mammals. As you can see in the picture, reindeers will have their horns and part of their body painted, which makes them easier to be detected, especially when there's light.

Source: Finnish Reindeer Herders Association

Reindeer herding is a big business in Finland, but sadly over 4,000 reindeer are hit by cars and lose their lives every year. Helsingin Sanomat newspaper estimates that the overall cost of these crashes can reach up to 18 million Euros per year. Accidents like these are most likely to occur during November and December when the roads are slippery and it gets dark early.
H/T: npr.org