Elk NetworkHelp Elk, Put Your Stuff Away

General | October 19, 2017

Tis the season for wildlife to wander out of the high country into the urban interface. When they do so, they often get tangled up in all kinds of things, and that can be deadly. Wildlife officials are urging residents to put away any potential belongings that could threaten elk or other wildlife.

“They will very often get caught in hammocks or clotheslines or sports equipment. We’ve seen them get Christmas lights wrapped around their antlers. There’s just a whole bunch of things that you might have out in your yard,” Jennifer Churchill, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) spokesperson, told KCNC-TV.

CPW does not worry so much when antlers become entangled with debris but they often take action when an item becomes wedged around the neck and may endanger an elk’s health.

“It’s stressful for the animals to be tranquilized. And unfortunately sometimes animals do die just from being tranquilized, just from the stress of being tranquilized,” said Churchill.