| Fauna curiosities of our forests |
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| Rattlebuck at Regional Museum |
Rattlebucks as the inhabitant species of the Thuringian
slate mountains have a thick and glossy fur of yellow and silver-grey
color with dark spots speckled on the backside. The caput - thorax
line measures 700 - 900 mm by adult animals. Rattlebuck and -goat
are armed
with spear-like horns: the buck has got the bigger ones, occasionally
twisted or bended up- or backwards, while the goat is armed with smaller,
tapering spikes.These horns are crowning |
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| the caput of this animal the whole life, similar to
the chamoises. The life expectancy lasts 12 up to 15 years. |
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| The Rattlebuck |
Habits:
This very shy species, rarely watched by humans, is active in the
dusk and at night and spend the day in resting places ( earthpan )
or in sleeping caves deep down in the dense thicket. The over dimensioned
eye- holes are perfectly adapted to their night activities. The enormous,
wired, tentative hairs of the upper lips are perfect instruments for
the excellent coping with the |
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| living in the thicket and the conditions of darkest
nighttime. |
Living space:
Huge thickets, far away from human settlements, and coherences free
from disturbance offering a wide selection of vegetable foodstuff
like bushfruits, herbs, especially bearroots from the valley of the
Schwarza deep in the Thuringian slate mountains, are the favourite
homes of the Rattlebucks.
In the premises of the manufactory you can find an exquisite selection
of information and specimen in the regional museum and professional
guided tours are offered to the interested parties. Each year on
May the 1. you have the chance to join the famous and unique Rattlebuckfestival:
it includes the hunting for the rattlebuck, farmer´s theatre,
dancing, a colorful market and much more entertainment. |
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| Rattlebuck Festival |
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