Calving Season for the Elk of Cataloochee
July 6, 2008
Right now in the Cataloochee Valley of The Great Smokey National Park it is calving season for the experimental elk herd. I traveled into this remote valley this weekend to see this small herd and to experience a part of nature that you can only find here.
We are in the 8th year of the experiment to reintroduce elk back into North Carolina. The project had a bumpy road over the years but it would appear that the project has turned a corner with over 100 elk now roaming the mountains of North Carolina.
In the initial years the survival rate of the new born calves was low mostly because of the bears finding and eating the calves. Since then the park staff have begun capturing the bears in the area and moving them to another part of the park during the prime calving season. The bears will return to the Cataloochee Valley in about 2 weeks but hopefully the time has given the calves a chance to get adjusted to the world they live in. The cows have also learned to not hide the calves out in the open meadows where the bears are searching for berries this time of the year.
This has the potential to be a big year in the population cycle of the herd with already 16 elk born this season and more cows waiting to deliver. Biologists carefully track the cows through the telemetry collars they wear and once they give birth they find the new born calf and collar it so they can track it.
The bit of bad news so far into this year is that the ratio of males to females in the calves is predominately more males then females with only 6 females so far this year. Hopefully this number will balance out with additional births the next few weeks. If this herd is to succeed it will have to grow from the population that is already there because of Chronic Wasting Disease. In the next part we’ll look at CWD and its impact on this experiment.
Photos & Story by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose
Moose Droppings is a place that chronicles my journey, I’ll explore new places and ideas I’ll learn new things and I’ll teach the things I’ve learned to others. Join me on the adventure and hopefully it will help you in your outdoor endeavors.
Lucky you – elk are the most beautiful animal in America. I love hunting these guys as they’re the royal majesty of the wild.
A hunting population of Elk in NC is likely a very long way off. They are a very beautiful animal. For me if I want to tag an elk I’ll have to travel out your way Tom.
You’re more than welcome! We’ll make room in camp!
[...] back to the story about the experiment to reintroduce elk to the mountains of North Carolina. As I reported in the earlier story this is the eighth and likely final year in the experimental reintroduction. At the end of this [...]
[...] my earlier posts I talked about the calving season in Cataloochee as well as the impact of Chronic Wasting Disease on the small herd. This week I want to talk about [...]