A wandering elk spotted at dozens of locations across Central Europe this summer has been captured by authorities in Austria and released close to the Czech border. The elk, nicknamed Emil, was tranquilised by Austrian wildlife officials after straying dangerously close to a motorway near the village of Sattledt, Upper Austria. He was fitted with a GPS tag and released on the Czech-Austrian border, on the edge of the Sumava forest of South Bohemia. It was uncertain whether this operation was coordinated with Czech authorities.
The Sumava is home to an estimated population of 10-20 elk, and it is hoped Emil will join them, instead of continuing his travels. The young male's remarkable journey began on June 2, when he was first spotted near Ludgerovice in the northeastern Czech Republic, having likely entered from Poland. Since then, he has become a social media star, with hundreds of photos and videos shared online, and numerous Facebook groups dedicated to his adventures, totaling nearly 50,000 members.
Czech Radio's iRozhlas reported that Emil has roamed through 60 towns and villages in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria covering around 500 kilometers. Known for crossing roads, railways, and rivers, he has even been spotted near cultural events, including a heavy metal festival in South Moravia. Elk were previously extinct in Czech forests but saw a successful reintroduction in the 1970s. Today, the Czech Republic has around 50 elk, far fewer than the tens of thousands estimated in Poland.
The Sumava is home to an estimated population of 10-20 elk, and it is hoped Emil will join them, instead of continuing his travels. The young male's remarkable journey began on June 2, when he was first spotted near Ludgerovice in the northeastern Czech Republic, having likely entered from Poland. Since then, he has become a social media star, with hundreds of photos and videos shared online, and numerous Facebook groups dedicated to his adventures, totaling nearly 50,000 members.
Czech Radio's iRozhlas reported that Emil has roamed through 60 towns and villages in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Austria covering around 500 kilometers. Known for crossing roads, railways, and rivers, he has even been spotted near cultural events, including a heavy metal festival in South Moravia. Elk were previously extinct in Czech forests but saw a successful reintroduction in the 1970s. Today, the Czech Republic has around 50 elk, far fewer than the tens of thousands estimated in Poland.
