Finland’s white-tailed deer were the subject of discussion in an article published by Star Tribune this week. According to the article, the animals were first introduced into Finland’s forests by two Finnish-Americans from Minnesota, U.S.
The deer were brought to Finland in 1934, at a time when the country’s reindeer, roe deer and elk populations were declining due to urban expansion and poverty. Finnish-Americans Eino Saranen and Lester Ketola initiated the transportation of three bucks and four does by train and ship from the U.S. to Finland.
The population of white-tailed deer has since exploded in Finland, reaching 60,000 in 2019–2020. A fictionalised version of the deer’s historic journey appeared in the 1979 novel Bobbi: Father of the Finnish White-Tailed Deer by Matt Niemi and Mary Sharp.
Finnish fast food chain Hesburger and oil refining company Neste attracted the attention of the foreign press this week when they announced they would be collaborating to manufacture renewable fuel.
Neste will collect the cooking oil waste from over 300 Hesburger restaurants across Finland and the Baltics and use it to produce renewable diesel. Hesburger outlets reportedly generate up to 420 tonnes of used cooking fat every year.
The restaurant chain, which will use Neste’s MY Renewable Diesel for its delivery trucks in Finland, expects its transport greenhouse gas emissions to decrease by 90 percent.
Several newspapers reported on the results of a new study by the University of Helsinki, which found that dogs display traits that are highly similar to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) behaviour in humans.
The findings of the study, which included 11,000 dogs of various breeds, were reportedly published in the journal Translational Psychiatry earlier this month. Researchers examined hyperactive, impulsive and inattentive behaviour in the dogs based on a survey.
The primary goal of the study was “to identify environmental factors underlying canine ADHD-like behaviour and potential links to other behavioural traits.”
In other news, the Finnish city of Tampere is set to trial a self-driving public transportation minibus in early 2022 to test how autonomous vehicles perform in wintery conditions.
The pilot programme involves driving two Toyota Proace minibuses down a 2.2.-mile route with a total of 10 bus stops. The route will run clockwise to the tram line in the Hervanta suburb.
The international media also revealed that Finland, along with Malaysia, has won a seat on the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council for 2022–2024. Finland will begin serving on the council from January 2022.
According to Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the country received 180 votes and was elected in the “Western and other countries” group.
Finland’s white-tailed deer were a gift from immigrants
According to an article by Minnestota-based newspaper the Star Tribune, Finland owes its thriving population of white-tailed deer to the generosity of Finnish immigrants from the U.S.
Eino Saranen and Lester Ketola, both sons of Finnish immigrants in Minnesota, spearheaded the effort to transport the deer from the U.S. to Finland in 1934. In 1948, a second batch of fawns were flown in to mitigate fears of inbreeding.
The journeys were challenging, with one of the bucks barely surviving the long trip. Finland’s now flourishing white-tailed deer population can be traced back to the original herd who were brought to the country nearly a century ago.
Original story was published by Star Tribune on 16.10.2021 and can be found here.
Hesburger and Neste collaborate to create renewable fuel
Finland-based fast food chain Hesburger and oil refining and marketing company Neste will work together to convert used cooking oil from restaurants into renewable diesel.
The fuel, which will be produced from renewable waste and raw materials collected from Hesburger’s restaurants in Finland, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, will then be used in the latter’s delivery trucks.
As the used oil is collected by the same trucks that deliver goods to the restaurants, the new collaboration will not result in extra mileage.
Original story was published by Bio Market Insights and News Ghana and can be found here and here.
Finnish study finds human-like ADHD behaviour in dogs
A behavioural survey from the University of Helsinki, which collected data on hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention in over 11,000 dogs, has found behavioural traits similar to human ADHD in canines.
The above-mentioned traits were more commonly observed in younger dogs and males. ADHD-like behaviour was also more frequent in dogs who spend more time at home alone. Additionally, certain breeds, such as German Shepherds and Border Collies, are more likely to be hyperactive and impulsive.
The study also found a strong link between ADHD traits and obsessive compulsive behaviour—such as tail chasing or staring into space—in dogs, which resembles OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) in humans.
Original story was published by Inside Edition and Science Daily and can be found here and here.
Tampere to trial self-driving minibuses in winter
The Southern Finland city of Tampere is set to conduct a self-driving public transportation pilot using two Toyota Proace minibuses in cold and snowy winter conditions early next year. The buses will be automated by autonomous vehicle software company Sensible 4.
The pilot, which will gather feedback on how autonomous vehicles can be incorporated into the city’s public transportation system, is part of Tampere’s efforts to become a smart city.
Original story was published by Electronics 360 on 21.10.2021 and can be found here.
Finland elected member of UN Human Rights Council
Finland has won a seat on the UN Human Rights Council for the 2022–2024 term. The country was chosen as a member at the 76th UN General Assembly elections held on 14 October.
Finland was previously a member of the 47-nation council, which is the UN’s primary human rights body, for a year in 2006–2007 when it was first established.
Original story was published by ScandAsia on 16.10.2021 and can be found here.
Tahira Sequeira
Helsinki Times
