Indigenous Arctic herder loses much-publicized appeal

COPENHAGEN, Denmark – A small reindeer herder from the indigenous Sami community in the Norwegian Arctic has lost a much-publicized appeal with Norway's top court over a ruling that he must cull 41 of his 116-strong herd.

Jovsset Ante Sara, who has twice successfully challenged an order to reduce the size of his herd, claimed he can't make a living with that scale of slaughter.

The government appealed because its policy aims to prevent overgrazing on the tundra where Norway's estimated reindeer population of 220,000 live.

Norway's Supreme Court said Thursday that the cull order did not violate Sara' rights.

There was no immediate reaction from Sara's side.

Earlier this month, his sister drew attention to the case when hanging up a curtain made of 400 bullet-ridden reindeer skulls outside Norway's parliament.