Whales pay a visit to Bergen
July 18, 2011
As many as 100 grindhvaler (pilot whales) swam into the Byfjord just outside Bergen on Sunday and came surprisingly close to the city’s Nordnes peninsula before heading north again. By Monday afternoon, though, they were threatened by curious boaters whom experts feared were coming too close to the majestic marine mammals. “Don’t get too close [...]
Wolf pact may emerge with Sweden
July 12, 2011
Norwegian conservation authorities will likely work more closely with their Swedish counterparts in managing wolves that pay no attention to national boundaries. The result may be more wolves in Norway that do less damage in terms of attacking grazing livestock. Erik Solheim, the government minister in charge of environmental issues in Norway, confirmed to Norwegian [...]
Compromise triggers new hunts
June 17, 2011
All of Norway’s political parties have finally struck a new agreement to govern predator management policies, under which as many as 30 male bears could be culled. The compromise has already been greeted with criticism by leading environmental campaign groups. The predator policy area is incredibly contentious, with many rural communities and farmers advocating harsher measures [...]
Salmon lice grow ‘dramatically’
June 16, 2011
A report by the state food authority reveals that lice levels have increased “dramatically” over the last year, especially among salmon, trout and young trout in key fishing areas around Norway. The situation is particularly problematic along the west Norwegian coast, where a number of large fish farms are found. In parts of Hardangerfjord, salmon [...]
Flying Sweden’s colors in Oslo’s forest
June 6, 2011
Swedes at home and abroad, including those who have settled in Norway, could celebrate Svenska flaggans dag – the Swedish flag’s day – on Monday. The owners of a cabin in the hills above Oslo could not think of a better salute to all Swedes than this photo taken over the weekend of a feathered friend [...]
Duck family walks out on Stoltenberg
May 28, 2011
Under the personal protection of Jens Stoltenberg and some of his security people, Norway’s most famous duck family checked out of the prime minister’s residence this week and into the royal palace pool across the heavily trafficked street of Parkveien. The duck mum had settled on the porch of the prime minister’s newly built residence [...]
Duck mum moves in with Jens
May 20, 2011
Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg routinely invites visiting VIPs to his home in downtown Oslo. One recent visitor has made bigger headlines than most, though: A female duck has settled on Stoltenberg’s veranda and laid nine eggs there. Stoltenberg broke the news himself by posting photos of his new feathered friend on his Facebook page. [...]
Predicted ‘lemming year’ arrives
May 5, 2011
Predictions that 2011 could be a ‘lemming year’ appear to have been correct, as the small, notoriously short-tempered rodents have begun popping up all over the mountainous areas of Norway, scaring skiers, swarming across roads and even attacking photographers. Lemmings thrive during mild but snowy winters, as they build habitats under snow cover and can [...]
Snakes flourish in warm weather
April 28, 2011
Hikers and cyclists may start seeing a lot more of Norway’s only poisonous snake, the huggorm, this spring and summer. The relatively small snakes reportedly are thriving in the unusually warm spring, and likely to reproduce rapidy. Newspaper Aftenposten reported Thursday that the recent spate of warm weather in southern Norway is setting off a [...]
Fur industry fights for survival
April 18, 2011
Norwegian fur farmers are lashing out at political efforts to shut them down, and speculate over whether the poultry industry will be the next target. “If they succeed at liquidating us, no one should rule out that the chicken ranchers will be the so-called animal rights activists’ next target,” an angry fur industry spokesman, Bertran [...]
Labour members in a defiant mood
April 11, 2011
Rank and file members of Norway’s Labour Party defied their leaders on several issues during their national meeting in Oslo over the weekend. They overruled the party leadership in voting to phase out fur farms, further boost public transit systems in Norwegian cities and officially recognize Palestine. Popular Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and his fellow [...]
‘Lemming year’ about to explode
March 30, 2011
Norwegian researchers are predicting that a new “lemming year” will break out this spring in the mountains if current weather conditions persist – the first such year since 2007. The small rodent, renowned for its violent temperament, enjoyed excellent breeding conditions beginning last November, with a stable environment and enough snow coverage to avoid the [...]
Another moose shot in Oslo
February 25, 2011
Yet another moose wandered too far from the safer forests around Norway’s capital on Friday, and ended having to be shot on a street in the busy Majorstuen neighborhood of Oslo. The moose was first spotted around the parking lot of Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK)’s headquarters at Marienlyst around midday. More calls came in to the [...]
Moose most dangerous in full moon
February 22, 2011
Researchers at a college in the eastern Norwegian county of Hedmark (Høyskølen i Hedmark) have determined that moose are most dangerous in the full moon. Not because they start howling or become aggressive, but because that’s when the most vehicular collisions with moose occur. Accident statistics from insurance company Tryg show that the danger of [...]
Fur flying over Fashion Week ban
February 17, 2011
Norway’s biggest annual design showcase, Oslo Fashion Week (OFW), banned fur from its catwalk this year – an international first that has been greeted by praise within the country and criticism from the fur industry and some in the Scandinavian fashion community. The week of events, held between February 14 and 20, is featuring showings [...]
