Over 70 Red Book reindeer have been found in the Altai Nature Reserve for the first time in decades

A herd of 72 red-listed forest reindeer was recorded by employees of the Altai Nature Reserve during field work in February. The first such meeting in several decades took place in the central part of the reserve. This was reported by the Wild Nature of Russia portal.

"Such a large herd has not been observed on the territory of Altai for several decades. The images of the herd will allow us to assess the gender and age structure of the deer grouping in the eastern part of the Altai Republic, which will make it possible to draw conclusions about its condition and resistance to the prevailing habitat conditions," the portal quotes Yuri Kalinkin, Candidate of Biological Sciences, leading researcher at the Altai Nature Reserve.

The forest subspecies of the reindeer of the Altai-Sayan population is listed in the Red Book of Russia and the Altai Republic.

In winter, these animals form large herds. Unlike other ungulates, reindeer winter in the highlands, feeding on terrestrial lichens, extracting them from under the snow and on extensive "blowouts" along the peaks of the ridges. This helps them to endure snowy winters more easily, the portal notes.