Moose on the loose at Warsaw’s main station brings trains to a standstill
Disruptions lasted over 80 minutes before the animal was tranquilised and sent back to the forest.
On Sunday evening, a wandering moose caused significant disruption at Warsaw Central Station, halting train services for over 80 minutes. The massive animal first appeared on a platform before venturing onto the tracks, prompting Polish Railway Lines (PLK) to suspend, cancel and divert numerous train services. Photos and videos shared online depict the moose lying on the tracks and traversing the railway line at the capital's busiest station, which is largely underground.
Police were alerted at 7:10 pm and cordon off the platform where the moose was located. Upon arrival, emergency services tranquilised the moose, which was then removed from the station and transported to a forested area. The moose, named Emil by PLK, was safely returned to its natural habitat. The disruption, lasting just over 80 minutes, was humorously noted by PLK as "łosiemdziesiąt," combining the Polish words for moose (łoś) and 80 (osiemdziesiąt).
Although moose are native to Poland, their population had dwindled by the mid-20th century due to hunting and habitat loss. Conservation efforts since 2001 have helped their numbers recover, with around 30,000 now estimated in the country. In recent years, several moose have made unexpected appearances in urban areas, including a notable case in 2022 when one was spotted on a shopping center roof in Elbląg and safely sedated.
Written by urgent.news from Notes from Poland's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
