NEWS
What I learned on the amazing trip to the Elk Farm
On April 28th, 2012, the International Office organised a trip to the elk farm (Älgens Hus). A bus full of interested people joined the one hour bus ride to Bjurholm, and many of them were Germans. German people have a special interest in elks. I cannot explain it, but in every tourist guide it is pointed out that especially German tourists want to see the elks. Sometimes, they even steal the nice red and yellow elk traffic signs. Being German myself, I have to say: It is all true! That is why I am happy that I was part of the trip and can now tell you what I have learned about the elks.
1) If you want the elks to be your friends, don’t bring apples, but bananas or carrots. Otherwise they will just ignore you. I have no idea how the elks found out that their favourite fruit is the banana, and how these elks would survive in wildlife in Sweden, where obviously no bananas are growing.
2) Elks may be colour-blind, but they can still find out if bananas are yellow or still green. According to the owner of the elk farm, this proves that his elks can’t be colour-blind.
3) Bigger is better. That is the basic rule for the life of an elk! The antlers do not have to look nice, but they have to be as big as possible.
4) Elks have names like Fritz and come when you shout for them.
5) When you are close to an elk, always check their ears. The ears are showing all their emotions quite clearly. So just run if you see that their ears are nearly lying on the back!
6) Elk meat tastes like beef.
7) Rain is no reason to miss a meeting with an elk.
8) Elks may be smelly, especially when it is raining, but they are still beautiful animals.
9) Most visitors of the elk farm are German. Therefore, you can find more information in German than in English at this place. By selling elk souvenirs, they try to stop us from stealing the road signs with elks… but I´m not sure if that really works out!
10) Everyone who has the chance should visit the elk farm. And of course, bring bananas!
Anja is an exchange student from Germany and spends the spring semester 2012 at Umeå University.
