Charles Darwin’s concept of "survival of the fittest" has countless examples in nature, each showcasing unique strategies for survival. One such example recently went viral—a drone clip capturing a herd of reindeer moving together in a swirling cyclone. According to My Modern Met, this mesmerizing formation is actually a defense strategy reindeer use when they feel threatened.
Representational Image Source: Reindeer herd grazing in the snow in the arctic landscape at Kval++ysletta, Kvaloya Island, Tromso in Arctic Circle Northern Norway (Photo by Tim Graham/Getty Images)
Like many animal species, reindeer have developed unique strategies to protect themselves from danger. Their method involves placing the most vulnerable members at the center while the herd runs in circles, making it nearly impossible for predators to target an individual. These intense formations are often referred to as “reindeer cyclones.”
Representative Image Source: Svalbard reindeer graze during a summer heat wave on Svalbard archipelago on July 29, 2020 near Longyearbyen, Norway. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
This phenomenon was first discovered by the Vikings, whose way of life was very much connected to hunting reindeer. In this defense strategy, the stronger reindeer from the herd start circling the young and vulnerable ones to protect them from predators, inadvertently creating a cyclone effect. This unique sighting was also featured in the 2019 PBS production "Wild Way of the Vikings." Depicting the Viking lifestyle in the year 1000 AD, the video highlights a striking overhead sequence of reindeer going into a spiral formation to confuse a Viking aiming at them with a bow and arrow.
There have been more insightful observations in the reindeer cyclones by Yngve Espmark from the Department of Zoology of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. The 2002 study titled "Behavioral lateralization in reindeer" concluded that upon feeling threatened, reindeer invariably rotated leftwards.
A clip of this reindeer phenomenon has been doing the rounds on the internet after an X user, Science girl (@gunsnrosesgirl3), posted it on the platform. The video shows a hypnotic reindeer cyclone in Russia's Kola Peninsula with the caption, "Reindeer Cyclones are a real thing... a swirling mass of threatened reindeer stampeding in a circle making it impossible to target an individual.. here the fawns are in the middle. This herd is on Russia’s Kola Peninsula, in the Arctic Circle." In the X thread, the user credited photographer Lev Fedoseyev for the video.
The video sparked a large response, with some users noting that reindeer aren't the only animals to use this strategy. @DavidSandow1 pointed out that even sheep follow the same behavior. He commented, "Sheep do the same thing with dingoes around." Another user, @anwit07, commented that she once saw geese doing the same, "I saw a flock of geese circle like that when a hawk approached," she wrote.
The next time you decide to watch the animated film "Frozen," you might come across a scene where all the reindeer run together in a big circle. The character Sven might look happy, but in reality, happy reindeer don’t run in circles. If you see such reindeer cyclones in the future, know that they are feeling threatened by the presence of a predator and are, hence, setting up a defensive perimeter for their younger clan.
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President Donald J. Trump and photo of a forest.
Public united and adamantly opposes Trump’s plan to roll back the Roadless Rule
There doesn't seem to be much agreement happening in the U.S. right now. Differing moral belief systems, economic disparity, and political divide have made a country with so many positives sometimes feel a little lost. Everyone desperately seeks a niche, a connection, or a strong sense of community to which they can feel a "part of," rather than just "apart."
But there seems to be one thing that the country strongly unites over, and that's the "Roadless Rule." With the Trump Administration attempting to roll back conservation policies that protect U.S. National Forests, Americans are saying in harmony an emphatic "No." A nonpartisan conservation and advocacy organization, the Center for Western Priorities, reviewed a comment analysis on the subject. After receiving 223,862 submissions, a staggering 99 percent are opposed to the president's plan of repeal.
What is the 'Roadless Rule' policy implemented in 2001?
The Roadless Rule has a direct impact on nearly 60 million acres of national forests and grasslands. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the rule prohibits road construction and timber harvests. Enacted in 2001, it is a conservation rule that protects some of the least developed portions of our forests. It's considered to be one of the most important conservation wins in U.S. history.
America's national forests and grasslands are diverse ecosystems, timeless landscapes, and living treasures. They sustain the country with clean water and the wood products necessary to build our communities. The National Parks protected under their umbrella offer incredible recreational retreats and outdoor adventure.
Why does the administration want to roll it back?
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins told the Department of Agriculture in a 2025 press release, “We are one step closer to common sense management of our national forest lands. Today marks a critical step forward in President Trump’s commitment to restoring local decision-making to federal land managers to empower them to do what’s necessary to protect America’s forests and communities from devastating destruction from fires." Rollins continued, “This administration is dedicated to removing burdensome, outdated, one-size-fits-all regulations that not only put people and livelihoods at risk but also stifle economic growth in rural America. It is vital that we properly manage our federal lands to create healthy, resilient, and productive forests for generations to come. We look forward to hearing directly from the people and communities we serve as we work together to implement productive and commonsense policy for forest land management.”
Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz explained the Roadless Rule frustrated land management and acts as a challenging barrier to action. It prohibits road construction needed to navigate wildfire suppression and properly maintain the forest. Schultz said, “The forests we know today are not the same as the forests of 2001. They are dangerously overstocked and increasingly threatened by drought, mortality, insect-borne disease, and wildfire. It’s time to return land management decisions where they belong – with local Forest Service experts who best understand their forests and communities."
Why are people adamantly opposed to the proposed rollback?
A 2025 article in Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law organization, expressed its concern over the protection of national forests covering 36 states and Puerto Rico. A rescinded rule allows increased logging, extractive development, and oil and gas drilling in previously undisturbed backcountry. Here is what some community leaders had to say about it:
President Gloria Burns, Ketchikan Indian Community, said, "You cannot separate us from the land. We depend on Congress to update the outdated and predatory, antiquated laws that allow other countries and outside sources to extract our resource wealth. This is an attack on Tribes and our people who depend on the land to eat. The federal government must act and provide us the safeguards we need or leave our home roadless. We are not willing to risk the destruction of our homelands when no effort has been made to ensure our future is the one our ancestors envisioned for us. Without our lungs (the Tongass) we cannot breathe life into our future generations.”
Linda Behnken, executive director of the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association, stated, "Roadbuilding damaged salmon streams in the past — with 240 miles of salmon habitat still blocked by failed road culverts. The Roadless Rule protects our fishing economy and more than 10,000 jobs provided by commercial fishing in Southeast Alaska.”
The Sierra Club's Forest Campaign Manager Alex Craven seemed quite upset, saying, "The Forest Service followed sound science, economic common sense, and overwhelming public support when they adopted such an important and visionary policy more than 20 years ago. Donald Trump is making it crystal clear he is willing to pollute our clean air and drinking water, destroy prized habitat for species, and even increase the risk of devastating wildfires, if it means padding the bottom lines of timber and mining companies.”
The 2025 recession proposal would apply to nearly 45 million acres of the national forests. With so many people writing in opposition to the consensus, the public has determined they don't want it to happen.
Tongass National Forest is at the center of the Trump administration's intention to roll back the 2001 Roadless Rule. You can watch an Alaska Nature Documentary about the wild salmon of Tongass National Forrest here:
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The simple truth is we elect our public officials to make decisions. The hope is they do this for all of our well-being, although often it seems they do not. Even though we don't have much power to control what government officials do, voicing our opinions strongly enough often forces them to alter their present course of action. With a unanimous public voice saying, "No!" maybe this time they will course correct as the public wishes.