Walking in treetops.

Wild cats and deer, roe deer and wild boar from a high seat in the National Park Hikers can Hainich lots of wild animals. Some are extremely shy, however - even rangers get mostly thanks to tricks with a hidden camera to face.

 

Craula - Sunday morning at 6 clock - it is cold and still not right bright at Millstone, the central point in the Thuringian village Craula, leave a few young people who party night bar. In addition to wait a couple of hikers with backpacks. Slowly driving a pick-up jeep approached, stopped, and a stocky middle-aged man climbs out. The emblem on his green cardigan shows him as a Ranger from. By Helge Graßhoff is in Hainich National Park.

The park itself has an area of 7600 hectares. It is located in Hainich, a forested ridges in the northwest of Thuringia. With a total area of about 16,000 hectares is the Hainich the largest contiguous forest area of Germany. It is virtually in the middle of Germany - in the triangle of the Thuringian city of Eisenach, Mühlhausen and Bad Langensalza.

Only once does it cross Craulaer - start and end points of the same path. Normally this is for cars conclusions. Ranger Graßhoff, however, has a key for the barrier, with the unauthorized vehicle access will be denied. Behind the barrier shakes the car through the rugged terrain. Suddenly, a deer in the headlights, but disappears just as quickly as it appeared. It is not the last animal, the visitors this morning in the forest to face.

On a clearing in the parked car, the tour participants prefer thick jackets and backpacks to shoulder. With the flashlight is on foot. There are only a few minutes to the observation deck, a spacious seat designed high. Slowly, the twilight - the first sunbeams of the day the light of the forest on Laubdach. Even ground fog hampered the clear view of the glade, a trail on the former shooting range, which is now more and more about the jungle is. Here again, the nature of nature: in an area of approximately 5000 hectares of national park is in use free hardwood floor.

Rehegucken from the high seat

That pleased the wildlife. From the high seat of deer were often observed, tells Graßhoff. But no game is still evident. This flap over two dozen Kolkrabe. And Jay is looking for breakfast. Suddenly, perhaps 200 meters from the observation point, is a deer with his kid on the clearing and nibbles here and there on the branches. Every now and then looks at the mother to make sure that everything is in order. After 20 minutes, the two disappear, and also for the observers, it is time to move the legs to represent - two and a half hours on the high seat rich.

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Now we have to walk through the Hainich - whose name incidentally is from the Middle High German hagen 'infer which means "standing forest." This term was sacred, with a hornbeam hedge designated fenced copse. Here on the former site of the shooting place of the trees is often still young - the stems and branches hanging low in the surreptitious way in, the Graßhoff knows how his pocket.

The Ranger has a job at the roadside where the grass is slightly pressed flat, just like on the other side of the path. "Here comes the game through," explains Graßhoff. A few meters further, the visitors from the city a bit puzzled in front of a big mud hole. "Wild," says the ranger short order afterwards to push reassuring: "Healthy game is always on the run from the people." Fear of aggressive Borstenvieh is rather unfounded.

Wild cats also live in Hainich. Middle of the day you encountered, it is unlikely - there would need help of the random force. Helge Graßhoff shows a folder with photos, where the shy animals can be seen. He photographed the cats with a hidden camera, with the help of a motion sensor triggers.

Typical of the Hainich are many small canyons. Here and there are from the last big storm cut trees on the ground. Around 50 different species of trees, there are Hainich. These include beech, oak, ash, and the lark Elsbeere rare. Then a final crack to hear. But in the trees is just one big shade escaping to find - a deer, there heels money. To really be a large animal can be observed without heels takes it, it needs a lot of patience and a little luck.

Walking in tree crowns

Only their traces are everywhere. Graßhoff points to a tree out - on the ground before decaying wood pieces are. "As cited in the hole is very likely a raccoon gehaust." Also, there are so Hainich. Just as forest bats, or the many woodpecker species - woodpecker, gray, green woodpecker and turning the neck for example. In addition, biologists here have 2028 beetle species counted.

Who the forest at an altitude want to experience, in the only other birds or insects are, at best climbs the spectacular, at the castle situated Thiem Baumkronenpfad: He leads the visitors - as the name suggests - a dizzy height over a length of 308 meters through the forest habitat. Dangerous is not the whole thing - the path, the width of sidewalks and is well secured with railings.

Also the visitor must not Klettermaxe: The more than 20 meters high, can climb to Baumkronenpfad with the Elevator overcome. As a reward, there is a magnificent view. Weather Caused Baumkronenpfad times can be closed. If you look at the diversity of Hainich also wants to see, but can in principle always do: "One of the most beautiful times, the wild garlic in spring bloom," says Graßhoff. "And in the autumn leaves."