Overview

• County authorities confirmed fresh tracks and sightings in Oberwolfach and Oberharmersbach in the Ortenau district.
• Resident Rosi Friske photographed and filmed the elk at her home, including the animal standing on her garage and stepping over an electric fence after a mild shock.
• No regional zoos or wildlife parks report a missing elk, yet the county’s wildlife officer says captivity remains the most likely source.
• Experts judge the Black Forest habitat suitable for a lone bull or a few animals, though a single male would not establish a breeding population.
• Officials continue to collect reports, emphasize road-collision risks, and cite Austria’s recent sedate-and-relocate case of “Emil” as a potential management template if needed.