Wild Olga: Moose cow still on the move in Brandenburg!

Wild Olga: Moose cow still on the move in Brandenburg!

The story of the moose Olga, who escaped from the Schorfheide wildlife park in Brandenburg seven months ago, remains fascinating and a little mysterious. Since her spectacular escape, which took place shortly before Christmas 2022, the majestic moose has been spotted again and again around the park. The last sighting occurred in early June when she was spotted four kilometers from the wildlife park, as Daily Mirror reported.

Imke Heyter, the head of the wildlife park, reported that Olga is in good condition and can be found far away from roads. With a shoulder height of around two meters, it is able to escape quickly. Their possible natural enemies, such as wolves, do not appear to pose any threat so far. Heyter is skeptical that Olga will ever voluntarily return to the wildlife park, as she only stayed there for a very short time and instead probably appreciates the freedom of nature.

An escape from captivity

Olga came to Groß Schönebeck from a Danish safari park on December 17, 2022. Just 15 hours after her arrival, she jumped over a 2.30 meter high fence and began her life of freedom. Despite intensive searches by park employees, police and other authorities, she has so far remained untraceable. However, if Olga is discovered, the plan is not to bring her back to the Schorfheide, but to settle her in a bison enclosure near Hanover, where her father lives, according to information from rbb24.

Further sightings of Olga are limited to a radius of 20 to 25 kilometers around the wildlife park. A suspected sighting near Penkun in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania turned out to be a misunderstanding because it was a different animal. Moose, especially bulls, do not have antlers at this time, making identification difficult.

Brandenburg and the return of the moose

The return of Elchen to Brandenburg has an exciting story. Just a few years ago, moose were considered extinct in Germany. But since 2015 they have been spotted again in all districts of Brandenburg. How National Geographic describes, moose are migrating back to Germany from Poland, and the number of sightings is constantly increasing. There have been 32 moose sightings recorded in the last twelve months.

NABU Brandenburg describes the return of the moose as a great enrichment for the local wildlife. The landscape in northeast Germany provides suitable habitat for these majestic creatures, which are known as the largest living deer in Europe and can reach a shoulder height of up to 2.30 meters. The experts recommend promoting the connectivity of habitats, accepting basic attitudes and protective measures to support the settlement of moose.

Since the current moose population in Germany is still small, there are currently no serious problems. Still, there are concerns about road safety because moose do not recognize the danger of approaching cars. Measures such as setting up warning signs and protective fences are of great importance here.

Olga may continue to live in the wilds of Brandenburg, but her story reminds us of the rediscovery of an important part of our wildlife and the effort to preserve this diversity.