Rapidly spinning at 80km/h... 'Reindeer's Typhoon' captured by drone in the Arctic

At the Center, Juvenile and Female Adults Rotate Outward
Reindeer Run Up to 80 km/h
Veterinarian Vaccinating Against Anthrax Causes Fear

On the 24th of last month, a herd of reindeer was circling in a ring in the Russian Arctic Circle. Photo by Lev Fedoseyev/TASS.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] Recently, a rare sight of a herd of reindeer circling in a spiral was captured on the Kola Peninsula in the Russian Arctic region.

According to Times Now and others on the 4th, photographer Lev Fedoseyev flew a drone on the 24th of last month (local time) to capture a herd of reindeer swirling in a vortex-like circle at a farm on the outskirts of the village of Robozero in Murmansk Oblast, Russia.

This group behavior is also called the "Reindeer Cyclone," a defensive action to protect their herd from predators.

On the 24th of last month, a herd of reindeer was circling in a ring in the Russian Arctic Circle. Photo by Lev Fedoseyev/TASS.

On the 24th of last month, a herd of reindeer was circling in a ring in the Russian Arctic Circle. Photo by Lev Fedoseyev/TASS.

The video of the "Reindeer Cyclone" taken that day gained great popularity after being shared on Twitter and other platforms.

When the herd senses danger, adult males take the lead, surrounding the rest of the group and rapidly rotating to increase their movement speed.

At the center of this vortex are calves less than one year old or females, protected by the males rotating around them.

Reindeers. Photo by Lev Fedoseyev/TASS.

On the 24th of last month, a herd of reindeer was circling in a ring in the Russian Arctic Circle. Photo by Lev Fedoseyev/TASS.

Reindeer can run up to 80 km/h. When reindeer run quickly in groups, predators find it difficult to single out prey, causing confusion. Also, even the strongest predators risk serious injury if they charge in.

Reindeer usually move in herds ranging from 10 to several hundred. However, in spring, large herds can form, numbering from at least 50,000 to as many as 500,000. In the past, the largest herd in the world, consisting of one million reindeer, was spotted on the Taymyr Peninsula in northern Siberia.

However, the predator that frightened the reindeer herd at that time was actually a veterinarian who came to administer anthrax vaccinations. The herd exhibited this behavior because they felt threatened by the approach of a stranger.