Vets in the Nenets Autonomous Area in the north of European Russia have started checking the health of reindeer, says a release on the area government's website.

"This season, the vets will inoculate 120,000 reindeer against anthrax. Last year, the inoculation of reindeer began in the area in early June. Overall, the vets inoculated over 140,000 reindeer," the statement says.

Inoculation has begun at two local companies, the Nenets Agroindustrial Company and Rassvet Severa (Kharuta village) of the Reindeer Herders Union of the Nenets Autonomous Area. In the next few days, the vets will move to Naryana-Ty (Khonugrei village) and Indiga. The area's other reindeer breeding farms are next on the list.

Olga Chuprova, acting head of the local veterinary center, said they have a sufficient amount of anthrax vaccine. Vets will reach reindeer herding camps by helicopters, planes, boats, tractors and cross-country vehicles. In all, they will inoculate reindeer at 14 companies in the eastern and central parts of the region. No inoculation is planned for the Voskhod and the Kanin Nenets Community farms in the west of the region, where the anthrax situation is under control.

The focus this year will be on individual reindeer farmers who let their animals graze in three neighboring areas, including Yamal, where many reindeer died of anthrax last year. In particular, the Yamb-To reindeer will be inoculated in summer.