The wild reindeer in Norway are struggling to reproduce. Never before have so few calves been counted in Knutshø, one of the wild reindeer areas. And the trend is negative in many areas – a reason for great concern.

DNA analyses are becoming an increasingly important method in research and nature management. To meet an increased demand from government and industry, the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) today opened NINAGEN, a national centre for conservation and biodiversity genetics in Trondheim.

More than 38 500 species are threatened with extinction globally. A new tool can help reverse this trend.

This year, a major campaign is being launched in northwest Russia aimed at preventing the spread of alien species to Russian parts of the Arctic. Scientists fear that seeds, insects and parasites will establish themselves in the vulnerable northern regions, and ask travelers to take action.