Overview
- Recent reports include the cow “Elwira” roaming Saxony since spring and an October sighting near Leipzig.
- The only well-documented resident remains the bull “Bert,” present since 2018 in the Nuthe‑Nieplitz nature park south of Berlin.
- Most animals originate in Poland, where about 30,000 elk live, with occasional dispersers from the Czech Šumava.
- Monitoring is systematic mainly in Brandenburg, leaving true numbers and residency elsewhere uncertain, according to WWF and biologist Michael Striese.
- Authorities note risks from browsing damage and traffic collisions, cite the tranquilization of “Emil” after a month-long trek through Austria, and advise keeping 30–40 meters’ distance.