Wildlife Walks: Germany becomes the Moose Country – Reuters

Dresden Who wants to see a moose in the wild, does not need to go strictly to Sweden. With luck, you get the giant recently in Germany to face. “Above all, the loutish young animals head out to explore the world,” says Andreas Kinser, forestry and hunting Speaker of the German Wildlife Foundation in Hamburg. More and more often wander moose from Poland and the Czech Republic over the border to East Germany.

The foundation but it is assumed that only a handful of animals live in Germany. . “Most moose roam the area just in their wanderings” per year counts the foundation around 25 Elchsichtungen – most in Brandenburg

For about three years to discover forester or strollers always certain Elche especially in Brandenburg. , “From a real population but one can not speak,” says Ina Martin, a biologist at the Thünen Institute of Forest Ecosystems in Eberswalde. It collects data to moose and has created an elk management plan for dealing with the animals on behalf of the country.

About three moose are therefore regularly Uckermark, the Schorfheide (Barnim) and go in the counties Oder-Spree and Maerkisch-or country. Since about 2000, therefore, are increasingly Moose from Poland across the border.

The Moose is a disaster follower

In Poland, the stocks are estimates of the German Wildlife Foundation has grown to around 4,000 copies since the moose may not be hunted. Looking for new hunting grounds attracts mainly young males and west. In the Czech Republic there is a small population, migrate from the animals to Lower Bavaria.

As a tourist two years ago in Šumava three moose got at once before the camera lens, was the celebrated as a sensation. Elche considered very timid. Around the Lipno lake on the border with Austria today home to about 15 animals.

Once a moose in Bavaria is sighted, the place looks the Elchbeauftragte the government, Reiner Karsch, exactly. He’s Looking For bites and droppings and footprints. In general, the Bavarian Forest is a good habitat for moose, says Karsch. “The Moose is a disaster follower. The holdings explode after forest fires and damage by bark beetles and windthrow. “

On the barren areas resulting the pickiest moose find young trees and undergrowth. In Lower Bavaria total of at least 19 elk since 2007 been spotted, three were killed in traffic accidents in 2007

Because of the many traffic was Germany dangerous for the moose territory. “Many are run over,” said Kinser. That is one reason that the population was not growing. On the other side, the moose for their body mass a danger to motorists is. “The moose has a different dimension than a deer.”