Yesterday, I attended our monthly photographers roundtable. I guess, I already mentioned, this is more like a photowalk, than sitting somewhere and discussing photo related topics.
This time we were on a small hike (3 hours) through the valley of the river Düssel, not far from the place, where the fossils of the homo neanderthalensis were found in 1856. Today, this valley is also called Neanderthal (Neander Valley). Now, you can find a museum here and some other places donated to the times, when homo neanderthalensis was alive: the ice age. Kids can learn in workshops, how to make fire, spear, bow and arrow. They can even learn how people used to hunt during ice age.
I don’t want to bore you with all these details. Instead, I want to show you some impressions from the nature and the animals, homo neanderthalensis has hunted: the european bison or wisent and the aurochs. While wisents are still around in some eastern parts of Europe, the aurochs is assumed to be lost in the beginning of the 17th century. But, in the early 20th century, the brothers Heck, zoo directors in Berlin and Munich, tried successfully to breed the aurochs back from the common cattle. So, these animals aren’t real aurochs, but heck cattle. Over the years, the heck cattle became more and more look-alike to the ancient aurochs. A small herd of about 30 animals lives here and you can go and see them. I recommend bringing field glasses, just in case they are not near the fence.
Take care!
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