The forests around Skorupki (our village) are neither a park nor a “green backdrop”. They are part of a larger natural woodland complex connected with the Piska Forest (Puszcza Piska).
Red deer, roe deer, wild boar, elk and many smaller animals live here. In the evening or very early in the morning it is easy to notice traces of their presence.
The greatest impression is usually made by the elk. These are enormous animals with a very distinctive silhouette and long legs.
Wolves and lynx are also present in the area. Encountering them on a short walk is highly unlikely, but simply being aware of their presence profoundly changes the way one perceives this landscape.
Masuria (the Masurian Lake District) belongs to the few regions of Europe where such a large and relatively natural habitat for wild animals still exists.
In the evening it is worth remembering that we are the guests here. Wildlife often crosses the roads and appears in the meadows closer to the house than one might think.
That is precisely why the surroundings have such a singular character. Nature still follows its own rhythm here.