Moose captured after roaming across Europe, becoming social media star

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A young male moose known as Emil has been captured in Austria and taken to the border with the neighboring Czech Republic after spending the summer roaming across central Europe.

The moose was tranquilized on Monday, fitted with a GPS tag, and released, with Austrian officials saying they would track him for 30 days.

Emil, who is believed to have wandered all the way from Poland or the Czech Republic to Austria, has made international headlines for weeks, with social media posts following his every move and locals posting videos of the animal.

But Emil's odyssey came to a sudden halt this week, just as he was approaching a busy motorway in the village of Sattledt in Upper Austria during rush hour.

The young moose was released by wildlife officials near the Czech Sumava national park, on the edge of the Bohemian Forest, home to a population of moose.

Austrian newspaper Kurier said the animal's departure was "not entirely voluntary" as local media drew parallels to the government's strict deportation policy.

Police had urged the public not to pursue the moose, either on foot or by car, Radio Prague International reported, citing the potential danger to both the animal and people.

Animal welfare association Tierschutz Austria criticized the "lack of transparency" of "Operation Emil," stressing the need for "uniform hunting regulations" to fill the gaps in wildlife protection.

Instead of creating "more wildlife corridors along motorways and railway lines," the moose — which has racked up nearly 26,000 fans on Facebook — was simply sent to the border, the organization said.

"Whether Emil will find peace in the Bohemian Forest remains uncertain," the statement said, adding that "his case will certainly reopen the debate on the legal treatment of wild animals in Austria."

After Emil's ordeal, the group launched a petition on Tuesday to bolster wildlife protection in what it called Upper Austria's "death triangle."

"Emil the Elk has exposed clear security gaps here, particularly in the central region of Upper Austria," the organization wrote.

The species known as moose in North America is sometimes called elk in Europe.