Wilde Olga: Elchkuh continues to travel in Brandenburg!

Wilde Olga: Elchkuh continues to travel in Brandenburg!

Groß Schönebeck, Deutschland - The story of Elchkuh Olga, which fled from the Schorfheide wildlife park in Brandenburg seven months ago, remains fascinating and also a little mysterious. Since its spectacular escape, which took place shortly before Christmas 2022, the majestic moose cow has been spotted again and again in the area around the park. The last sighting occurred in early June, when it was spotted four kilometers from the wildlife park, as Tagesspiegel

Imke Heyter, the head of the wildlife park, reported that Olga is in good condition and that it is found far from streets. With a shoulder height of around two meters, she is able to flee quickly. So far, their possible natural enemies, such as wolves, do not appear to be a threat. Heyter is skeptical about the fact that Olga will ever voluntarily return to the wildlife park, since she only lingered there for a very short time and instead it probably appreciates the freedom of nature.

an escape from captivity

Olga came to Groß Schönebeck from a Danish Safaripark on December 17, 2022. Just 15 hours after her arrival, she jumped over a 2.30 meter high fence and started her life in freedom. Despite intensive searches by the parking employees, police and other places, it has so far been unobtrusive. However, if Olga is discovered, it is planned not to bring her back to the Schorfheide, but to settle them back in a wisent enclosure at Hanover, where her father lives, so the information from rbb24 .

The further sightings of Olga are limited to a radius of 20 to 25 kilometers around the wildlife park. A presumed sight near Penkun in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania turned out to be a misunderstanding because it was another animal. At that time, moose, especially the bulls, does not wear antlers, which makes identification more difficult.

Brandenburg and the return of the moose

The return from Elchen to Brandenburg has an exciting story. A few years ago, moose were considered to be eradicated in Germany. But since 2015 they have been spotted again in all districts of Brandenburg. Like National Geographic , moose from Poland hike back to Germany, and the number of views is constantly increasing. 32 elk sightings have been registered in the past twelve months.

The Nabu Brandenburg describes the return of the moose as a great enrichment for the domestic wildlife. The landscape in northeastern Germany offers suitable habitat for these majestic creatures, which are known as the largest living deer in Europe and can achieve a shoulder height of up to 2.30 meters. The experts recommend promoting the networking of living spaces, accepting basic attitudes and protective measures to support the settlement of the moose

Since today's population of the moose is still small in Germany, there are currently no serious problems. Nevertheless, there are concerns about traffic safety, since moose do not recognize the risk of approaching cars. Measures such as the installation of warning guys and fences are of great importance here.

Olga may continue to live in the wilderness of Brandenburg, but their story reminds us of the rediscovery of an important part of our wildlife and the endeavor to maintain this variety.