An extraordinary meeting in Masuria. Exotic antelope spotted in the forest
This animal lives in the wild in Africa, so meeting it in Poland is an unusual situation. Falling temperatures pose a threat to it.
Exotic species can be found in Poland in zoos. The greater was the surprise of people who noticed this cloven-hoofed mammal in the Masurian forest. Several photos of a male savannah sitatunga have appeared online.
African antelope in Masuria
“I saw this animal for the first time a month ago near Ogonki, in marshy areas near Lake Święcajty. Last Sunday, I managed to photograph them in the same area,” Dominik Misiun, a photographer from a local portal from Giżycko, told PAP.
No wonder, in the wild, the savannah sitatunga lives in swamps and swamps, as well as in humid equatorial forests around lakes and along rivers. How did this animal end up in Masuria?
On Monday, the Kopytka z Hope Foundation – Asylum for Forest and Farm Animals reported that an antelope escaped from the Bloodless Safari near Gołdap in the summer. The entry added that the animal’s owners are aware of the situation and have specialized equipment needed to safely catch it. People were asked not to approach the antelope, scare it or try to catch it. Catching the antelope is necessary because falling temperatures will be dangerous for it. “Yesterday, i.e. on Sunday, she was seen near Okowizna near Węgorzewo.– one of the commenters on the entry about the missing animal reported on Facebook.
The owner was surprised
Bezkwrawe Safari is a private farm near Gołdap at the foot of Tatarska Góra (308 m above sea level). They live there, among others: fallow deer, stags, Przewalski’s horses, zebras and camels. The owner admitted that the antelope escaped from the farm in the summer. Spotting the animal 50 km away was a surprise to him. “Last summer, this animal was chased out of its enclosure by wolves, and it somehow overcame a two-meter mesh fence,” he said. He was convinced that the wolves had caught up with and eaten the pet at the mini zoo.
Justyna Januszewicz, spokeswoman for the Regional Director for Environmental Protection in Olsztyn, said that the savannah sitatunga is not on the list of invasive alien species (IGO), but the obligation to catch it rests with the owner.
Natalia Trzcinka from the Borki forest district added that if an animal is spotted, the territorially competent commune and the district veterinary inspectorate will be notified.
