Ornithologists say Norwegian reindeer owners' claims that they lost 2,000 animals in a year to golden eagles are dubious. "Just four years ago about 10 golden eagle couples supposedly killed 15,000 reindeer on the Finnmark plateau alone," Per Tommeras, an expert on birds of prey, told the newspaper VG. "The number has nothing to do with reality. This was about raising money for the reindeer industry, not about biology." Tommeras said eagles might occasionally take a reindeer calf but even the largest eagles would be foolish to tangle with adult reindeer. Reindeer owners claim they lost 11,400 animals to predators between April 1, 2004, and April 1, 2005 -- including 2,000 killed by eagles. They received 26.4 million kroner (almost $4 million) in compensation. © Copyright 2006 by United Press International

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