Footage of an elk roaming city roads was recently shared on the Instagram account Tourons of National Parks (@touronsofnationalparks). The results were tense and nearly violent.
A man approached a large elk mulling at an intersection when the elk lowered its antlers defensively, forcing the man to back up. A woman on the sidelines laughed and said: "You can't fix stupid!"
Large, wild animals like elk pose serious safety risks to humans who approach them. Bison and moose have shown equally little patience for taunting humans.
There are several factors that can make situations like this a reality. For starters, the degradation of natural habitats deprives wildlife of natural food sources. This forces animals to roam abroad for alternatives. This loss of territory is largely caused by human land development for housing, the forestry industry, and agriculture, but aridification and wildfires play roles as well.
Dwindling food sources due to drought can further push wildlife out of its natural environs and more into contact with people. This can be further exacerbated by intentional and unintentional food incentives provided by humans, pulling wildlife out of their usual feeding habits.
Over time, these pressures can make animals overly familiar with humans and even bold enough to attack. The increasing danger presented by animals approaching humans looking for food can lead to euthanization.
This is a particular tragedy, and not only because large mammals are beautiful and iconic creatures. They play vital ecosystem roles, like spreading seeds, cycling nutrients, and managing prey populations.
You can take local action by supporting the creation and management of nature preserves in your community. This ensures animals have all the resources they need without having to roam into human territory.
Instagram followers of Tourons of National Parks were squarely on the elk's side in this particular situation.
"Get em elky. Humans not the brightest of the Earth dwellers," said one community member.
"That is a big bull, he's damn lucky," said another commenter.
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