Visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park are warned to stay at least 25 yards away from elk, but a local 8-year-old resident wasn't even in the park when an elk came after her from 60 feet away. The cow elk, that was with a young calf, then stomped on the girl several times, an attack that sent the girl to the hospital.
The child had been riding her bike around her Estes Park neighborhood last week at 1:00 pm when the elk, feeling threatened, charged her. "This is an unusual and unfortunate situation where a young girl was playing outside, far from the calf, and a cow elk became aggressive to protect her newborn," said Colorado Parks and Wildlife Area Manager Jason Duetsch, via Advnture.
Unfortunately, not only was the girl hurt (but released from the hospital later that day), but the CPW shot the scared mama elk with a "non-lethal bean bag round" and whisked the calf off to a lab, "where veterinarians and wildlife specialists will care for the newborn."
Separating the mother elk from her calf seems like a stiff penalty for an animal that was just trying to protect her baby. If only it were as simple as moving the Estes Park neighborhood farther away from the wildlife its residents so enjoy.
From Advnture:
When a wildlife officer responded to the attack, the elk again became aggressive prompting the officer to haze the elk with a non-lethal bean bag round. The following day, officers returned to the scene to transport the calf to the CPW Health Lab where it will be cared for by veterinarians and wildlife specialists. The CPW reports that it will continue to "haze cow elk in the area as necessary" to discourage interactions with residents.
Signs warning of aggressive elk have been placed in the area and wildlife officials remind all residents and visitors that pets should be on-leash at all times. Elk are at their most aggressive during calving and rutting season.
And from CPW:
A wildlife officer responded to the attack area and found a cow elk and young calf. The elk became aggressive towards the officer. The officer hazed the elk by firing a non-lethal bean bag round and the elk's aggressive behavior dissipated. The officer stayed on scene to monitor the situation for several hours. On Friday, the officer returned to transport the calf to the CPW Health Lab where veterinarians and wildlife specialists will care for the newborn.
Officers will haze cow elk in the area as necessary to discourage interactions with neighbors. Signs warning of aggressive elk behavior have been placed in the area.
Previously: Elk is in no mood for a crowd of Colorado tourists — so she bites off the tip of young boy's finger
