Christmas: when eagles make mincemeat of reindeer

摘要

Watch out, Rudolph! Golden eagles in Norway regularly prey on reindeer calves and in early winter can even kill adults, according to field observations by Olav Strand at the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research in Trondheim. With a wingspan of around 2 metres, the eagles land on the reindeer's back and sink in their talons, puncturing large blood vessels under the spine. They then wait for the deer to die from blood loss. Golden eagles live across the northern hemisphere. Their prey includes hares, rabbits, grouse and ground squirrels, but they have also been seen hunting large mammals such as wolves, sheep and saiga antelope. When diving for prey, they can reach speeds of 240 kilometres per hour.