Seal - Foxes from Harzer Cages in Saxony reintroduced
A fox named Chapo, who grew up in Nuremberg, was released into the Eibenstocker Forest on a Wednesday evening, after living last in the Harz region. According to the Saxonian Environmental, Agriculture and Geology Administration (LfULG), which announced this on a Thursday, Chapo is the fourth fox among Juno, Alva and Nova to be released in the Ore Mountains this year.
Experts are now monitoring the project's success and the fox's condition using a GPS collar that Chapo wears. The collars of other foxes are known to indicate that they are still in the Ore Mountains, where they behave inconspicuously and are rarely seen. No livestock have been taken by foxes so far, LfULG added.
Originally, the one-year-old Chapo was intended for a breeding program. He grew up in a Nuremberg zoo enclosure with limited contact with animal keepers and was fed wild meat.
In early June, Chapo was transported from Nuremberg to the Harz region as part of the breeding program, it was further stated. However, he found it hard to adapt to the new environment and escaped shortly after arrival. He was recaptured again after a few hours. Against the original plan, the responsible parties decided to release him. The Ore Mountains, with their large forests and structures, offered ideal conditions for this, so Chapo was eventually taken to Saxony.
- Chapo's journey from Nuremberg to the Ore Mountains was facilitated by the transport services, passing through the landscapes of Saxony-Anhalt.
- The Ore Mountains, sharing borders with Lower Saxony and Saxony, provide a vast and suitable environment for reintroducing Chapo into the wild.
- The environmental authorities in Dresden, the capital city of Saxony, have expressed interest in tracking Chapo's movements using a Global Positioning System device.
- Despite initial difficulties in adapting to the Harz region's environment, Chapo found a more favorable enclosure in the Ore Mountains' rich and secluded forests.
- The release of Chapo into the Ore Mountains has sparked discussions among wildlife enthusiasts and conservationists across Germany, emphasizing the necessity of preserving natural habitats for endangered species.
