OSLO, Norway — A game warden stumbled across these eerie images while making his rounds, some 323 reindeer, including 70 calves, lying dead on the ground.
Norwegian officials are taking samples from the carcasses to make sure, but they believe that the animals were killed by lightning.
They say it’s not uncommon for that to happen, but it is unusual for storms to kill so many animals are one time. They say the animals usually huddle together during storms, magnifying the effect of a lightning strike.
The disaster occurred on the Hardangervidda Mountain plateau. Approximately 10,000 reindeer migrate over an area of 8,000 square kilometers, or 3000 square miles, on Hardangervidda making it Norway’s largest wild reindeer range according to local media.
It’s not yet known whether the bodies will be removed or if they’ll be left where they are.