Collisions can lead to great suffering for the animals and often end in death. In addition, it causes bad experiences for the locomotive drivers. Therefore, Bane Nor and Vy Gjøvikbanen have chosen to join forces in an experiment where they put out fodder for the game, in the migration route of the moose, close to the railway. The idea is that the animals stop at the feeding area and do not continue over the railway. Technical manager of VY Gjøvikbanen Leif Asbjørn Seegård is also a former locomotive driver, and he knows what it feels like to meet a moose. – It’s not pleasant when you come around a bend and see the moose. You have no chance to stop. You know it’s going crazy if he doesn’t do a stunt and jump out. If you hit it right, there is no more to look for, divers. Along the Gjøvik Railway, which runs from Oslo to Gjøvik in the interior, 207 moose and deer have been killed or euthanized since 2007. In addition, around 10 moose have disappeared after collisions. Leif Asbjørn Seegård, who is technical manager at VY Gjøvikbanen, says there is a great desire to put an end to the many animal tragedies. He has been a locomotive driver himself and knows how tough it is to drive moose or deer. Photo: Reidar Gregersen Actually prohibited In Norway, a total of 621 moose and 313 deer were run over by the train in 2022–2023, according to figures from Statistics Norway. With such figures as a background, project manager Kjell Bakken and Seegaard were asked to carry out the food project. On behalf of Bane Nor and Vy Gjøvikbanen, they applied to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority for permission to set up four feeding sites close to the railway. The idea is that the animals stop at the food and do not continue down towards the train tracks. It was not obvious that they agreed. Basically, there is a ban on putting out fodder for deer game. It is to prevent the spread of the deadly Scabies. However, the response from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority was positive. They make exceptions to the main rule because this is about traffic safety. One requirement is that the feeding areas are looked after and monitored, so that sick animals can be discovered and euthanized. Read about Tor Fredriksen, who was out on a car trip when he drove past an unusual sight at the edge of the forest, namely a white moose. Best for the deer Project manager Kjell Bakken ensures that fresh hay and carrots are laid out for the animals. He cut loose on the pile to loosen the frozen fodder, so it will be easier for the animals to eat. – The animals like the smell of hay, so they move here. That’s why I also have to top up fresh often, says Bakken. It has been a snowy winter and he seems to have started the project a little late. But now at least the deer is enjoying the food. – So far they probably have more sense of the diet than the moose, says Bakken. In winter, moose prefer to eat twigs from birch and pine, i.e. food that hangs high. Carrots are good for deer. Elgen is a little more skeptical. The hope is that it will also provide itself with the feed. Photo: Reidar Gregersen Hooked on a game camera In order to be able to follow what is happening at the feeding ground, Bakken has installed a game camera. He can follow them around the clock on his mobile phone. Text messages keep ticking in with pictures of deer coming to the food station again and again. Kjell Bakken can follow deer and elk on his mobile around the clock. Photo: Reidar Gregersen / news – It’s a pleasure to see what’s there. Just turn it on and see what it is. I hardly sleep at night because I hear the sounds, says Bakken. – It is very interesting. I have been really excited about this, he says. He won’t get the final result until May. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority requires that feeding stops when the snow falls. Then the feeding area must also be completely cleaned up. Deer like food that is laid out best. The moose is more skeptical, it prefers branches from birch and pine. The hope is that it will also taste like hay and carrots. Photo: Kjell Bakken / Viltkamera Worth the price In Bane Nor, operations coordinator Guttorm Moss is satisfied that food stations are being tried out to prevent the train running on deer game in winter. In any case, it is a cheap alternative. – We cannot fence off the entire railway line. And we cannot afford to build crossings or underpasses where the animals move. So this is the best option, says Moss. Technical manager at Gjøvikbanen, Seegaard confirms that the project costs. – It is worth the money as we see it today, he says. In the spring, a report will be prepared in which the trial project is evaluated. So far, project manager Kjell Bakken is positive. – This is a huge initiative that Bane Nor and Vy have seen started.
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Wants to stop collisions with game while feeding – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
