A young male elk known as Emil has been captured in Austria and taken to the border with the neighbouring Czechia after spending the summer roaming across central Europe.
The elk was tranquilised yesterday, 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 Czechia to Austria, has made international headlines for weeks, with social media posts following his every move.
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 elk was released by wildlife officials near the Czech Sumava national park, on the edge of the Bohemian Forest, home to a population of elk.
Austrian newspaper Kurier said the animal's departure was "not entirely voluntary" as local media drew parallels to the government's strict deportation policy.
Animal welfare association Tierschutz Austria criticised 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 elk - which has racked up nearly 26,000 fans on Facebook - was simply sent to the border, the organisation lamented.
"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".
