After decades of absence, moose have reappeared in the Czech part of the Krkonose Mountains. Krkonose National Park (KRNAP) spokesman Radek Drahny told CTK that the individual spotted was evidently the same one that was recently spotted on the border of the Owl and Krzeszow Mountains in Poland.
He said it was too early to speculate whether moose would settle permanently in the Krkonose or whether they were merely migrating.
On Sunday, 5 May, the KRNAP administration’s emergency line received repeated reports of sightings of a wandering European elk (moose) in the vicinity of Zacler, a town in the eastern Krkonose. “This is a species that was native to the area and was eradicated by humans in the past. We can say that this is the first sighting of a European elk on the Czech side of the Krkonose Mountains in several decades,” Drahny said.
He warned drivers to take extra care, especially around Zacler. “A collision with a moose can be very dangerous for both sides,” Drahny said.
KRNAP director Robin Bohnisch said he considers the sighting of a moose in Krkonose to be good news about the state of the natural surroundings in the area.
According to KRNAP rangers, the moose is not dangerous to humans. It is a shy animal that, like other animals, can be aggressive, but usually only when their young are threatened. “The moose is a very mobile animal and covers great distances. Currently, the main problem for the survival of moose in the Czech landscape is human obstacles in the form of dense road networks,” Drahny said.
The moose is the largest member of the deer family. It is native to Central Europe but was killed off in the 15th century. In the Czech Republic, there is a stable population of approximately 15 moose in Sumava, south Bohemia. Occasional sightings of migrating individuals have been reported from other parts of the country, KRNAP said.
The moose is not the only native and protected animal that has reappeared in the Krkonose after many years. Last autumn, the KRNAP administration announced the reappearance of the wolf. According to park rangers, the Czech part of the Krkonose is covered by two wolf territories, where between six and 11 wolves roam.
