Reindeer in South Georgia are an example of an animal which has been introduced outside its native range. The reindeer, a species of deer adapted to arctic and subarctic climates, was introduced to the subantarctic island of South Georgia by Norwegian whalers in the early 20th century. The reason for the introduction was to provide both recreational hunting and fresh meat for the numerous people working in the whaling industry on the island at the time. Since then, with the end of the whaling industry, and in the absence of a permanently resident population, the reindeer population, in two geographically separated wild herds, increased to the point where their presence was causing environmental damage and led to a decision to eradicate them.