Hagemeister Reindeer Move to Point MacKenzie

In accordance with an agreement made last winter between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) the Togiak Traditional Council and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Service and the BIA began transfer activities involving moving the last of the reindeer off of Hagemeister in the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.

This morning reindeer were moved into specially-built corrals where they were inoculated, tested for brucellosis and prepared for loading onto DC3s. This afternoon the first loads of reindeer will be flown off the island.

In a unique state program called, "Project Hope" Alaska Native inmates will take care of the reindeer herd on a farm at Point MacKenzie operated by the State of Alaska.

Reindeer not able to be corralled on the or not suited for breeding will be harvested for distribution to the people of Togiak.

During the winters of 1990-92 approximately 800 reindeer starved to death on Hagemeister in the Bering Sea. Since then, most have been removed in the Services effort to return the to its natural state.

FWS