Has Svalbard its own species of Reindeer ?
The Svalbard reindeer, which has existed on the islands for millenia, is the smallest species of reindeers in the world. The legs are shorter and the fur thicker than reindeers in e.g. mainland Norway. A buck may grow to a length of about 160 centimetres and acquire a weight of 90 kilos in the summer and 60 kilos in the winter. The gestation period is seven months. Calving takes place in June. The reindeer was totally protected in 1925, but today hunting of a limited number of animals in the autumn is permitted. Application for a hunting licence is necessary, and permition can only be given to the locals. The latest polulation counts shows the existence of some 10.000 animals. Other unique(we think) species of animals in Svalbard are arctic fox and the Svalbard-grouse. And maybe the mouse too.
