Читать книгу The Westweg. Through Germany's Black Forest онлайн

37 страница из 45

Wild animals generally are of little concern in the Black Forest. Of the bigger mammals only wild boar poses a potential danger to humans and dogs, but they tend to avoid contact if they can. They are most active at dawn and dusk. Their senses of smell and hearing are very acute but their vision is terrible, so you’re more likely to startle them when walking very quietly. The most dangerous time to encounter them is when they are out foraging with their young; this used to be in late spring/early summer, but nowadays they find such a surplus of food that they may breed and have offspring at any time of the year.

There have been no reported cases of rabies in Germany since 2006 and large animals are rarely seen. Far more dangerous are the tiniest critters, such as ticks, which can carry Lyme disease or TBE (tick-borne encephalitis). Ticks generally inhabit the undergrowth and tall grasses in lower elevations up to 700m, but they have also been found at 1500m (in the Czech Republic). Walking on broad forest tracks poses no risk, but when walking through tall grass it is best to tuck in the bottoms of your trousers. Tick repellent is only effective for about 4 hours; outdoor clothes can be treated with permethrin, which is highly effective, but also highly poisonous. Vigilance is the best protection – wear light-coloured clothes that make it easier to spot ticks and always perform a thorough tick check at the end of the day. If you have been bitten, seek medical assistance immediately, especially if you notice the classic symptom of Borreliosis infection – the bull’s eye rash.