Elk
Eric Peterson
| Wapiti. Shawnee for "White Rump". For centuries, the elk has been a picturesque icon of the American west, providing recreational opportunities for hunters, artists, wildlife photographers and other wildlife enthusiasts. They are an important economic resource for the state of Wyoming. |
| According to a recent Game and Fish publication, Wyoming sports one hundred and five thousand elk. That’s almost one seventh of the continent’s population. Back in the old days, there are accounts which suggest that there may have been ten million of them. Wow! That could be over ten times as many are there are in North America now. Their diet preference is to be grazers. In other words, they prefer and are well adapted to a grass diet, as opposed to many of their deer family cousins which prefer browsing on broadleaved plants. |
| Recently, here in Wyoming, Elk have been in the news because they, along with bison, harbor Brucellosis – a disease which is a big problem to the cattle industry and also a human health threat. The disease is very much aggravated in elk populations where elk are concentrated in winter feeding programs. Elk populations which aren’t fed through winter don’t seem to harbor the disease. Difficult decisions will have to be made if the disease is to be defeated. |
| From the University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service, I’m Eric Peterson. |