Łoś w Małopolsce: historia wyginięcia i rekolonizacji

Moose in Malopolska (south-eastern Poland): extinction and recolonization

Ever since the beginning of the Middle Ages and up to the 19th century there was a constant drop in the number of moose and where they could be found in Europe. The last moose in Małopolska was probably killed in 1760. The extinction of this animal was caused by: increased human population, forest removal, the drying tip of wet terrain, destructive hunting (including that of King August II), poaching and the so-called ”species conservatism” which makes it impossible for a species to adapt to changes in the environment.  However after World War ll there was a turning point: several rescued animals from the Biebrzański bog (in the northeastern part of Poland), a certain number of illegal immigrants' from the USRR and 5 animals brought from Lithuania were introduced into Kampinos near Warsaw were the beginning of a quickly growing population, that within 20 years had colonized most of the country and by the end of the 1970's there were more than 6,000 animals ( !). Already by the 1960's moose could be found in Malopolska. Most frequently they migrated along the following river valleys: Pilica, the Vistula and the San. The first permanent settlement was found in the Dulowa Forest, a mere 30 kilometers west of Cracow. The next one was in the Wierzchosławice Forest near Tarnów as well as in the Sieniawa near Poland's eastern border. During the following years Małopolska was populated and new settlements founded. In 1990 21 forest districts confirmed on a questionnaire the presence of moose. 26 said that moose appear in their districts as mi grating animals. Only 14 forest districts said that there were not any moose in their areas. At that time there were 200 moose in the Małopolska area. However since that time there has been a certain regression in the moose population, namely there are fewer numbers of moose and some settlements have disappeared. Therefore, in conclusion, this animal needs active protection from man. Presently in Małopolska there are settlements which are described in this paper.