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Elk bull

 

 

The game researchers of the Environment Agency’s Wildlife Department managed to provide the first elk – a fully grown elk bull - with a satellite-telemetric tracking unit. The tracking unit delivers vital data about the area where the elk moves, its use of habitats, behavioural biology and other matters.

 

The first bull  in the elk survey was caught with a sedative dart during an ambush session at the border between Pärnu and Viljandi counties, on the edge of the Soomaa National Park. The installed tracker currently determines the geographical position every 4 hours and sends the data by way of satellite into the investigator’s computer. Local hunters were also informed about the marked animal so that they would refrain from hunting it. The monitor is attached to the elk’s neck by a 8 cm wide white collar so that it is easily visible even in dusk.

 

In the course of two years the plan is to mark 10 elks in order to study the size of an elk’s area of movement, use of habitats, behaviour biology etc.

 

In addition to monitoring the marked animals, the elk study, supported by the Estonian Environmental Investment Centre also comprises investigations of internal parasites of elks, and also an attempt to evaluate the abundance of elks by way of the number of piles of droppings accumulated in winter.

 

So far the Environment Agency’s researchers have provided roe deer, boars, lynxes and wolves with similar tracking devices. The studies of wild animals by the Environment Agency support the game monitoring and are vital for the development of suitable protection measures for these species.

 

Additional information:

Rauno Veeroja,

Coordinator of elk studies

5083269