An animal that has been missing from Romania’s fauna for more than 200 years has been reintroduced into nature, in the Vânători Neamț Natural Park, in an approach considered unprecedented for the restoration of biodiversity at the local level.
Romania marks an important moment in the conservation of biodiversity, with the bringing of four specimens of a species that has been extinct for over two centuries in the territory of the country, in the Vânători Neamț Natural Park.
It is about the elk, an emblematic species that disappeared from Romania at the beginning of the 19th century. Three specimens from specialized centers in Germany, France and Switzerland were brought.
After arrival, the animals entered a mandatory 30-day quarantine period, according to sanitary-veterinary regulations.
During this interval, public access is restricted to allow monitoring of the health status and adaptation of the animals to the new environment. Afterwards, the public will be able to admire the specimens from a safe distance, respecting the rules for visiting the protected area.
“Bringing the moose is an act of moral reparation towards nature. Along with the reintroduction of the bison, this project strengthens the status of the Park as a benchmark for nature conservation in Romania and as a model of good practices in which the protection of vulnerable species supports the education and development of local communities”, said Sebastian Cătănoiu, the director of the Vânători Neamț Natural Park.
The initiative is part of the project “Tinutul Bison: conservation, education and tourism in Vânători Neamț Natural Park”, carried out by the park administration together with environmental and ecotourism organizations.
The objective of the program is both the restoration of biodiversity and the development of a sustainable tourism model in the area.
The species disappeared from Romania’s fauna at the beginning of the 19th century, in the context of excessive hunting and habitat changes. Although there were isolated occurrences in the 20th century, in the Danube Delta and northern Moldova, the current approach represents the first organized and scientifically substantiated reintroduction program, according to ziarpiatraneamt.
The elk, also known in the past as “plotun”, was a constant presence in Romania’s fauna until the beginning of the 19th century, being mentioned including by Dimitrie Cantemir in “Descriptio Moldaviae”. Disappeared for over 200 years, the species has only been reported sporadically through stray specimens in the 20th century.
The authorities hope that the presence of the new specimens, together with the bison already reintroduced in the area, will transform the Vânători Neamț Natural Park into an important destination for wildlife observation.
