In the large forest areas which covered the land before the settlement of the Knights of the Order, numerous animal species lived which had long since become rare or extinct in more westerly regions. In particular large mammals that were interesting objects for hunters were tracked down. Aurochs, wisents, wild horses (tarpans), moose and red deer were among the herbivores as opposed to the big predators like brown bears, wolves and lynx. Except for moose and red deer, they had already become extinct by 1945 even though wolves kept coming from the east into the country only to be fought as "predators".
Deer, boars, beavers and larger bird species such as geese, swans, grey herons, capercaillie and black grouse were widespread at first and served as food. Numerous predatory animals such as red foxes, badgers, wildcats, pine martens, otters or minks were also not rare during early settlement. New game species introduced by man were for instance fallow deer, raccoon dogs and mink.
Illustration:
Catching wolves in the wolf garden. Copperplate by Johann Elias Ridinger, 1750. From pits, in which prey had been put in as bait, one or more wolves could not escape and fell victim to the hunters. In the 17th century in particular this method was often used in East Prussia, but evidence has been found of its use well into the 19th century.