Elk

Elk (Alces alces). In Belarus up to the middle of 1950 of the last century the population of elk was small, but in conditions of wide protection there was a significant growth of its number. Last two decades it was stabilized and now the elk occupies all large forests, meeting even on woods in vicinities of villages and cities. The density of its population is bigger in central and northern areas - 4 - 8 individuals on 1000 hectares of wood lands, in southern areas it meets less often - 1 - 3 individuals on 1000 hectares of wood lands. An elk is the typical wood inhabitant. However it willingly occupies not monotonous spaces of old wood and prefers wood with young tree-planting, growing cuttings down and burnt-out forests, boggy spaces. The elks prefer to change wood biotopes in according the season that is explained by the change of ecological conditions. In autumn elks often live in birch forests, aspen forests, alder thickets, bilberry or ericetal pinery. In winter elks choose places where the depth of snow is smaller and there is enough forages on rather small area. At this time elks can be met in pine young growths, thickets of willow. In spring for a birth and education of posterity female elk chooses secluded, often boggy spaces of wood. In summer the elk prefers to stay near the reservoirs where the juicy and nutritious grassy vegetation grows and it is easier to be rescued from midges, plunging in water or lying in a dirt. Natural enemies of elks are a wolf and a bear, but influence of a bear is rather slight. Wolves hunt on young elks more successfully, but extract also adults. The legalized hunting for an elk is spent under licenses during which it is annually withdrawn 10 - 15 % of their number.