Reindeer Cyclones Are Real, and You Definitely Don't Want to Get Caught in One

[Judi Lynn]

By Mindy Weisberger, Senior Writer | February 15, 2019 06:22am ET

- click for image -

https://img.purch.com/h/1400/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5saXZlc2NpZW5jZS5jb20vaW1hZ2VzL2kvMDAwLzEwNC8zMTUvb3JpZ2luYWwvcmVpbmRlZXItY3ljbG9uZS1iaWdnZXIuZ2lm

Credit: Courtesy of PBS Nature and Maramedia

Vikings hunting reindeer in Norway were once confounded by "reindeer cyclones"; a threatened herd would literally run circles around the fierce hunters, making it nearly impossible to target a single animal.

Filmmakers recently captured incredible aerial footage of one of these reindeer cyclones, which aired Feb. 13 on PBS in the documentary "Wild Way of the Vikings," a program about Vikings and the wilderness they inhabited around A.D. 1000. [Photos: Ancient Arrows from Reindeer Hunters Found in Norway]

One of the documentary's most striking scenes shows a re-enactment of a Viking hunt interspersed with real footage of reindeer herds. Reindeer were important to the Vikings for their meat, hides, antlers and bones, according to the film.


Reindeer Cyclones Are Real, and You Definitely Don't Want to Get Caught in One
Credit: Courtesy of PBS Nature and Maramedia
Vikings hunting reindeer in Norway were once confounded by "reindeer cyclones"; a threatened herd would literally run circles around the fierce hunters, making it nearly impossible to target a single animal.

Filmmakers recently captured incredible aerial footage of one of these reindeer cyclones, which aired Feb. 13 on PBS in the documentary "Wild Way of the Vikings," a program about Vikings and the wilderness they inhabited around A.D. 1000. [Photos: Ancient Arrows from Reindeer Hunters Found in Norway]

One of the documentary's most striking scenes shows a re-enactment of a Viking hunt interspersed with real footage of reindeer herds. Reindeer were important to the Vikings for their meat, hides, antlers and bones, according to the film.

In the cyclone scene, a lone hunter (an actor playing a Viking) approaches the herd; he notches and releases an arrow. The footage that follows shows an actual herd of reindeer running in circles. As the swirling mass of bodies thunders along a circular path, an overhead camera reveals that the herd's momentum follows a spiral shape, drawing tightly toward the cyclone's "eye" at the center.

More:
https://www.livescience.com/64778-vikings-reindeer-cyclone.html

[underpants]

1. I thought they just played games.

I really love your posts. Outside the norm but more important than the norm.

[tblue37]

2. So cool! K&R. nt

[Laffy Kat]

3. Very clever of the reindeer.

[Baitball Blogger]

4. Very cool.

[cstanleytech]

5. Reminds me of swarms of fish.

[Duppers]

6. Wow! Worth the click.

[ffr]

7. Bizarre

[Bayard]

8. That's a whole lotta reindeer!

I don't recall any other mammals that do this.

[2naSalit]

9. Amazing the self protection techniques

animals develop. Antelope use their similar appearance to run relay race sort of tactics, wears down the predator as they switch off with a fresh runner.
I never knew this about caribou but it makes sense.