Latest news with #calvingseason
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Yahoo
State wildlife officials issue warning after three recent moose attacks: 'Turn around ... if a calf is spotted'
A spate of incidents involving moose in Colorado has prompted state officials to release a warning for residents to keep their distance. As The Daily Sentinel reports, there were three moose attacks in the short three-day period from May 30 to June 1. Moose are not typically aggressive towards people, but they are susceptible to disturbances during calving season. All three incidents involved a cow moose protecting its young from a perceived threat. In the first incident, two women were attacked but escaped serious injury after the moose was driven off by a neighbor. Unfortunately, the second attack was more serious, The Daily Sentinel reported. The moose was shot in self-defense, and, sadly, the calf was humanely euthanized by officials. In the last incident on June 1, a woman was hospitalized. In response, per The Daily Sentinel, Colorado Parks and Wildlife warned residents to "Turn around or leave an area if a calf is spotted." CPW also advised residents to stick to trails with good visibility and "make noise" when going through thick vegetation that could be hiding a moose calf. Since their reintroduction in 1978, CPW reports that the moose population has been a stable and growing presence in Colorado. While this is indicative of a successful program, it also means that more incidents could occur. Habitat loss, human population growth, and reduced resources may be partially responsible for the increase in conflicts between humans and wildlife. Moose attacks on people are still a rare phenomenon, but their sheer size makes the damage they can do to a person considerable and, on rare occasions, fatal. They tip the scales at up to 1,000 pounds and can run faster than any human alive in short bursts. Because they favor thick vegetation, they're not as easy to spot from a distance as their immense size would suggest, and off-leash dogs are a frequent cause of incidents, as the Colorado Sun reports. One proposed solution is to reintroduce wolves to Colorado to control the moose population. However, the measure was met with controversy when it was first tabled in 2020 and only narrowly succeeded at the ballot. The program has gotten off to a difficult start and could end with another ballot initiative in 2026, CPR News reported. Rather than relying too much on wolves, another solution is to raise awareness and educate others about the issue to promote actions that will mitigate the risk. For example, the National Park Service strongly advises people to keep their distance from wildlife. Additionally, dogs should always be kept on leash outside of designated areas. Small considerations for nature can go a long way to preventing injury and conflict. By protecting our environment and conserving natural habitats for wildlife, we can keep our communities safer and promote thriving ecosystems. Should the U.S. invest in building more wildlife overpasses? Absolutely Depends on how we do it Depends on where we do it Nope Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
CBC
08-06-2025
- CBC
'Extremely aggressive and protective': Elk calving season underway in Alberta
Social Sharing Visitors to Alberta's national parks and the Rocky Mountains are being warned to watch out for more than just bears, when it comes to potentially dangerous wildlife. Elk calving season is underway, with cow elk giving birth and starting to raise their offspring from mid-May to early July. The risk around aggressive elk encounters during this season is why Nick de Ruyter, the WildSmart program director at the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley, has dubbed them "the most dangerous animal in Alberta, by far." Many people are likely to have misconceptions around elk, de Ruyter said, and potentially think they're harmless herbivores. "They don't have big sharp teeth and claws, so people think they're really tame animals," he said. But the danger they pose doesn't come from their diet or desire to kill. It comes from how common they are in places frequented by people. "Mother elk are extremely aggressive and protective of their calves … they are going to be a lot more aggressive right now than bears," said de Ruyter. Dan Rafla, a resource management officer with Parks Canada, said visitors to Banff National Park should be incredibly wary of elk during calving season. "If you see a solitary female around, give her a wide berth. It either means she's getting ready to give birth, or she's given birth and there might be a calf nearby that you cannot see," said Rafla. He added that newborn calves remain immobile and scentless as a defence strategy — the goal is not to be seen by predators, and curious tourists that get too close are likely to be perceived as predators by defensive mothers. "With a lot of visitors coming, they might find [elk calves] kind of an exciting thing to see, or get too close," he said. "Moms can be very defensive, and that has led to people getting charged." Parks Canada advises people to keep at least 30 metres away from elk at all times. "I think the most common mistake is people are really excited to see wildlife and they want to get a photograph, so they approach too quickly," said Rafla. "They don't notice subtle signs of that elk actually changing behaviour and getting stressed, they get too close, and before they know it, the elk is charging them." The Government of Alberta says signs of an agitated elk may include "staring with flattened ears and raised rump hair, curled lips, grinding teeth, and charging and kicking." In the event of an elk charge, Rafla says people should try to look big, pick up a stick, ensure any children you're with are close to you, face the animal and back away. Maintaining eye contact is a better course of action when encountering aggressive elk, rather than turning around and running or playing dead. Warnings, closure in effect Temporary area closures may be put in place when necessary, said Rafla. Last weekend, for example, Parks Canada closed an area at the west slope of Tunnel Mountain, south of the Tunnel Mountain Trail, from May 30 to June 1 to provide a secure habitat for elk during calving season. Near Canmore, Alberta Parks has issued elk-specific wildlife warnings for Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park trails east of Cougar Creek as well as locations throughout Larch Island, effective from May until further notice. Elk are relatively common in Alberta. They can be found across Banff, Jasper and Waterton national parks, throughout Kananaskis Country, and elsewhere in the boreal and foothills regions of the province. So Parks Canada and Alberta Parks advise caution even beyond the specific areas they name. "It's being respectful towards wildlife," said Rafla. Elk and other animals are most commonly seen in the Bow Valley at this time of year, Rafla added. "There's still a lot of snow higher up in the mountains," he said. "New, fresh vegetation is growing in the valley bottom … so you have a high concentration of deer, of elk, as a result. You also have predators that will follow, seeking out the fawns and the calves as well." Rafla also stressed the need to prevent elk encounters involving dogs. "Dogs need to be under control at all times and kept on a leash … [it's] preferred, really, to leave them at home, especially this time of year," he said.
