"In past years has been with us three smaller elk population perished, the other two is the number of animals is lower than in the eighties," says zoologist Pavlina Wiedenová of the Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia. For example, Jindřichohradecku the elk population in the last thirty years has fallen by half to two-thirds.
Now scientists from the University of South Bohemia formulated in 2010 a European rescue program elk in the Czech Republic. In cooperation with the Czech landscape conservation organizations should now be some points of this program into practice. "Together with international conservation organizations such as we seek to limit hunting in Lower Austria," said Dalibor Dostal, director of conservation organizations Czech landscape.
On the territory of the Czech Republic elk disappeared between the 12th and 15 century, some sources say the year 1570 as the year of harvest last elk. The reason for the extinction of the local population was mainly hunting, but also other human-induced change: changes in vegetation, climate and increased habitat fragmentation. Since the second half of the 20th century us moose begin gradually spread from the Polish population. In 1957, the first recorded occurrence of elk near Ústí nad Labem, shortly after it was illegally caught in the Teplice. Losi then came on Czech territory migration in three phases, the first from 1957 to 1966, the other at the end of the 60th and early 70 years and third mid-80s Years.
In 1973, the Jindřichohradecku had their first baby. Since then, the moose in our area again reproduce regularly, until 1987 in Jindřichohradecké the eland born 23 pups. Losi has gradually expanded up to third in the Czech Republic. In 1980 the total population was estimated to be 30 to 50 units, of which 20 to 30 pieces per Jindřichohradecku. Another strong population is created in the Český Krumlov, on the right bank of the Lipno dam to the border with Austria. The first baby born in 1977. The remaining three mikropopulace were founded in 1985 at Tabor, Bechyně and the Nymburk.
Population growth, however, stopped a moose, we began to wane, the main cause was poaching. Three mikropopulace disappeared, the number of animals in the other two populations decline. In addition to poaching among other causes removal of barriers for the migration of animals and also easy to obtain exceptions to hunt elk in the border region of Lower Austria, but also tourism, zkulturňování landscape and increasing density of population areas with a permanent presence of elk and more. The fate of the population on Lake may seal some development plans in this area. A major cause is the lack of safe crossings for animals over roads, causing 40 percent of deaths tickets are conflicts on roads or railways.
For comparison. For example, in Poland, lived after World War II. World War 18 individuals in the Augustan forest, but in the mid-50th years the Warsaw area enlargement of elk in the mid 80s years lived in the eastern and northern Poland several thousand elk. He currently lives in Poland roughly 2,800 elk. "In the case of Poland shows that the strict protection is possible to save this endangered species from very small initial population," said zoologist Luke Plank, another author rescue program.
"The emergence of a European elk is our bound on wetlands and areas with bodies of water with a rich wetland and bush vegetation. In areas where there is adequate representation of these two habitats, where these habitats are sufficiently large, can lead to the loss of elk. Using the right tools, you should be increasing the amount of habitat, including the creation of soft wood plantations and richer shrub layer, "said zoologist Vladislav Masin, who co-authored the study.
Moose is the largest member of the deer family, and our country has its presence mainly cultural value, such as restoring the original part of our fauna. An adult bull weighs around 220-450 kg, the length of his body is 2-3 m, height 180-235 cm at the withers. Losi have expandable Spark našlapovací with a large area for movement in soft soil and also swim well. Antlers is lopatovité weighing up to 20 kg, while our moose antlers usually have simple bidlovitého type.
Source: Ekolist.cz
