Rare Siberian wapiti crosses road in central Finland

A rare Siberian wapiti crossed a road in Viitasaari, central Finland, Yle reports. The species is native to an area thousands of kilometres from Finland.

Local resident Hanna Hakkarainen was walking her elk hound in Permonen, Viitasaari, when the tracking collar showed that the dog was chasing an animal approaching a nearby road.

Hakkarainen drove to the roadside to warn motorists about a moose that might cross. She was surprised when an animal resembling a red deer ran across the road instead.

“At first I thought it was a red deer, but after I posted the video in several social media groups and called the local game management association, we concluded together that it was a maral,” Hakkarainen said.

A maral is a subspecies of red deer. According to Finland’s invasive species website, it has been spotted twice in Finland this year. Because of its rarity, it has not yet been classified as an invasive species.

The fast-moving animal escaped the dog.

“My grey Norwegian elk hound could not keep up. It ran considerably faster than ordinary moose,” Hakkarainen said.

Because the animal was identified only from a sighting and video, its species had to be assessed based on its appearance and distinguishing features.

Mikael Wickström, a special planner and an expert on rare deer species at the Finnish Wildlife Agency, examined the video. He said the animal was not a maral but a Siberian wapiti, scientifically known as Cervus canadensis sibiricus.

The species’ closest relative is the Canadian wapiti.

Wickström said Siberian wapiti are often called “maral” in Russia, using the Russian name for the animal. This has frequently caused confusion between the species.

According to Wickström, Siberian wapiti have been observed in Finland during the past decade. Most sightings have been in eastern Finland, but the wide-ranging and migratory species has also been seen elsewhere in the country.

The animals are believed to have migrated to Finland from Russia.

Wickström said the species cannot formally be considered invasive in Finland because no calves have yet been observed. The animals seen so far have been adult males and females.

“The individuals seen in Finland have been adults, at least one year old. Since they are adults, it is possible that calves could eventually be born here,” Wickström said.