In late September, the Slovak Wildlife Society hosted a weekend Wildlife Tracking Workshop in Liptovský Mikuláš, a village in the Tatra Mountains of Slovakia. The Slovak Wildlife Society is involved with a range of conservation projects focusing primarily on the region's large carnivores including working to prevent negative interactions between wolves and bears with humans. Here are a few of the highlights from my trip to the region and the class with a collection of very fine European naturalists and wildlife trackers.
My initial impressions of northern Slovakia during my train ride through the country was that it reminded me much of the state of Montana, with the notable addition of castles.
Tracks of a European Red deer (Cervus elaphus).
The right hind track of a European Brown Bear (Ursus arctos).
European river otter (Lutra lutra) tracks.
European lynx (Lynx lynx) track. Tatra Mountans, Slovakia.
A spring in the forest used extentively by Wild Boar as a wallow. Tatra Mountains, Slovakia
A tree close to a spring wild boar’s use as a wallow. Robin Rigg, Slovak Wildlife Society Founder and Director, inspects the scar and mud on the base of the tree is from repetitive rubbing from boars on the tree. Tatra Mountains, Slovakia.
A red fox moves through the brush in morning light. Tatra Mountains, Slovakia.
Participants in the wildlife tracking workshop Slovak Wildlife Society hosted.
Evening light in the Tatra Mountains, Slovakia.