With bears moved, elk herd shows growthSurvival rate of calves on upswing past 2 years
With bears moved, elk herd shows growth
Survival rate of calves on upswing past 2 years
JACK HORAN
Special Correspondent
The experimental wild elk herd in Great Smoky Mountains National Park has finally begun to increase after virtually no growth during the animals' first five years.
What helped turn the static population around was the removal of black bears that were preying on the new-born calves, park spokesman Bob Miller said last week. As a result, calf survival rose in 2006 and 2007, lifting the 2005 population of 54 animals to at least 86.
In addition, Miller said, adult cows are getting smarter about coping with bears, moving away from locations bears frequent to more remote places to give birth in June and July.
Most of the elk live in the Cataloochee Valley area on the N.C. side of the park. The bear relocation began two years ago when biologists captured the animals in baited barrel traps and transported them to the western end of the park.
"In 2006 and 2007, we moved 8 or 10 bears that were especially attuned to the calving of elk," Miller said.
The bears made their way back to Cataloochee Valley but, by then, the young elk were agile enough to avoid the predators. A smaller group of elk also live near U.S. 441 on park and Cherokee Indian Reservation lands.
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