OSLO, June 26 (Xinhua) -- At least 100 moose lost their lives during the past winter in Norway, public broadcaster NRK reported Tuesday.
The reason for the tragedy is an increase in the animal herd and, according to local expert Kare Hattfjelldal, at least 100 moose died of hunger in Norway. But the number could be higher because only about one-third of the central areas of Norway in which the moose live has been scanned.
"I think there must be at least 50,000 decares that have not been scanned. Since there such big areas, I do not see it as unreasonable to assume that over 100 moose have starved to death," Hattfjelldal told NRK.
Siv Svendsen, section leader of Norwegian Food Safety Authority, confirmed that the animals starved to death.
"The animals are completely emaciated. When there are so many animals, and such young animals, it indicates food shortages," she said.
According to Jo Inge Breisjoberget, head of section for hunting and fishing in Norwegian state-owned land and forest enterprise Statskog, the solution lies in more moose hunting.
"We can not have another autumn with no proper hunting. We have to shoot more moose and we have to do it in autumn," he said.
