Reindeer are perhaps not the first things which spring to mind when you think of nuclear fallout.

However, 30 years after the nuclear power plant explosion in Chernobyl, Ukraine, and more than a thousand miles away, the grazing animals are recording high levels of radioactivity.

Last September reindeer in Våga reinlag AS, Jotunheimen, had readings of 8,200 becquerel per kilo of radioactive substance Caesium-137, according to Norway's The Local.

Three years earlier reindeer in the same central Norwegian region had readings of 1,500 becquerel, less than a fifth of the concentration.

Norway's radioactive reindeer Show all 6 1 /6 Norway's radioactive reindeer Norway's radioactive reindeer There are more than 30,000 reindeer in Norway Although the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster in Ukraine happened nearly 30 years ago and more than a thousand miles from Norway, the country's reindeer are still suffering from increased radioactivity. Amos Chapple, RFE/RL Norway's radioactive reindeer A reindeer eats lichen When the disaster happened, larger areas of were covered by clouds of radioactive dust. When it rained or snowed in Norway that dust made its way into the landscape, contaminating everything it touched. Amos Chapple, RFE/RL Norway's radioactive reindeer Semi-domestic reindeer roam freely around Norway's rugged landscape Norway's reindeer feed on lichen, mushrooms and grass. The unusually high radioactivity observed in the reindeer is thought to be linked to this years' bumper crop of mushrooms. Aina Bye Norway's radioactive reindeer Sami heard the reindeer several times a year Norway's indigenous people, the Sami, are known for their reindeer herding. The animals provide a vital source of income for them. Amos Chapple, RFE/RL Norway's radioactive reindeer Reindeer meat is widely eaten in Norway Because of the unusually high radioactivity measured in the reindeer, many are not fit for human consumption and so have been released back into the wild. Aina Bye Norway's radioactive reindeer The legacy of Chenobyl The Sami people of Norway fear that it could be many years before the reindeer return to normal levels of radioactivity. Amos Chapple, RFE/RL

To put this into perspective, the EU limit for foodstuffs is 600 becquerel.

Radio Free Europe explained how following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster there was a radioactive cloud above areas of Europe, including Norway.

When it rained or snowed the radioactive dust found its way to the ground, much of which was absorbed by lichen and mushrooms.

Reindeer normally eat a lot of lichen, or reindeer moss as it is sometimes known locally, in fact in the winter it can make up most of their diet.

But this year there was an unusually large mushroom crop, and according to Radio Free Europe scientists believe this is behind the increased reindeer radiation.

Reindeer meat is eaten in Norway, and the wider Scandinavian countries, and is a vital source of income for the indigenous Sami people, who are known for herding the animals.

The Norwegian government allows a relatively high level of radiation in reindeer meat, 3,000 becquerel, which was increased in response to the threat to the Sami herders way of life, the website says.

Even so, this year’s animals, with readings of 8,200 becquerel render most of the meat unsellable, and so many reindeer were released back into the wild rather than slaughtered.

The radiation in Norway has a half-life of 30 years, which means that today there is half as much radioactivity left as there was in 1986.