Czechoslovakia FDC

Czechoslovakia FDC
Special Postmarke; 25.09.1959 Praha
Registered Post ; Brastislava 12

25.09.1950 10th Anniv. of Tatra Park
Red Deer - Cervus Elaphus
Face Value ; 1,60
Michel Catalog Number ; 1157

The Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) is one of the largest deer species. The Red Deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor and parts of western and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Algeria and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being the only species of deer to inhabit Africa. Red Deer have been introduced to other areas including New Zealand and Argentina. In many parts of the world the meat (venison) from Red Deer is widely used as a food source.Red Deer are ruminants, characterized by an even number of toes, and a four-chambered stomach. Recent DNA evidence indicates that the Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) and the East Asian and North American Elk (Wapiti) (Cervus canadensis) represent two distinct species. They give also hint for an additional primordial subgroup of Central Asian Red Deer.The ancestor of all Red Deer probably originated in Central Asia and probably resembled Sika Deer.Although at one time Red Deer were rare in some areas, they were never close to extinction. Reintroduction and conservation efforts, especially in the United Kingdom, have resulted in an increase of Red Deer populations, while other areas, such as North Africa, have continued to show a population decline.

25.09.1950 10th Anniv. of Tatra Park
European Bison - Bison Bonassus
Face Value ; 40h
Michel Catalog Number ; 1154

The wisent or European bison (Bison bonasus), is a bison species and the heaviest surviving land animal in Europe. A typical wisent is about 2.9 m (9.5 ft) long and 1.8–2.2 m (5.9–7.4 ft) tall, and weighs 300–920 kg (660–2000 lb). It is typically smaller than the related American bison (Bison bison), and has shorter hair on the neck, head, and forequarters, but longer tail and horns. Wisent are now forest-dwelling. They have few predators (besides humans) with only scattered reports from the 1800s of wolf and bear predation. Wisent were first scientifically described by Carolus Linnaeus in 1758. Some later descriptions treat the wisent as conspecific with the American bison. It is not to be confused with the aurochs, the extinct ancestor of domestic cattle.Wisent is now a critically endangered species. In the past it was commonly killed to produce hides and drinking horns, especially during the Middle Ages.

Tatra National Park (Polish: Tatrzański Park Narodowy; abbr. TPN) is located in the southern part of Poland, by the borders with Slovakia. It was created in 1954 on the area of 215.56 km², but the current area is smaller - 211.64 km². 151.91 km² are forests and 56.60 km² are mainly meadows. Strictly protected are 115.14 km², of which 61.49 km² are forest ecosystems.First calls for protection of the Tatras appeared at the end of the 19th century. In 1925 first efforts to create a national park, in cooperation with Slovakia, took place. Formally the park was created in 1937, on the area that belonged to the state forests authority. After WW2, in 1947, a separate administrative unit, Tatra Park, was created. And in 1954, with the decision of Polish Government, Tatra National Park was created. In 1993 TPN and its Slovak equivalent with the same name –Tatra National Park (Slovak: Tatranský Národný Park)– became UNESCO’s biosphere preserve of worldwide importance.