<< Back 7/10/02 Birthing time in the valley Success of park elk may negate need for third release By Don Hendershot The Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s experimental elk herd is growing once again. “We’ve collared two calves and I feel confident there are at least three or four on the ground,” said Jennifer Murrow, research leader for the project. The first new addition this summer came on June 12 to cow number 15. Number 15 lost her calf in the valley last year. This year, perhaps pursued by coyotes, she left the valley for higher ground, trekking up and out of Cataloochee some seven miles to the crest of Balsam Mountain. The cow was reported grazing in the valley with other elk the afternoon of June 11. However, she was spotted by Park Service employees near Balsam Mountain the next day and it was reported that coyotes were not far behind. The cow successfully gave birth near Heintooga Spur Road. Park biologists and a film crew from Turner South Broadcasting were present for the event. Murrow said on July 3, that cow and calf were still well. Park spokeswoman Nancy Gray said Turner had plans to air the footage of the elk birth on their Natural South program sometime in August. Murrow said with the three to four calves she believes have been born, there is the potential for three to five more. Calving will likely continue through the month of July. Last year seven calves were born in the park. Four of those survived. Three were likely taken by predators. One was a confirmed coyote kill. One of the collared calves has since been found dead. Murrow said they don’t know what killed the calf but bears had been feeding on the carcass. Most elk are still staying close to Cataloochee Valley, but some are roaming a bit. Four are hanging out near Big Cove on the Qualla Boundary. A couple of the new elk brought in from Elk Island this February have been reported near Bunches Creek, and one of the original elk has been reported near the Hartford Road exit along I-40 in Tennessee. Murrow said most of the original Land Between the Lakes elk, introduced to Cataloochee in February 2001, are still staying very close to the meadows in the valley and can be seen regularly feeding in the fields in the evening. Most of the recently introduced elk from Elk Island in Canada are staying in the valley but they have moved farther into the woods. Murrow said they are foraging in the fields but later at night. The elk count in Cataloochee is somewhere around 55 animals. GSMNP biologist Kim Delozier said lower than anticipated natural mortality and lack of dispersal may negate the need for a scheduled third release this winter. “At this point, we’re strongly leaning towards not bringing the third group of elk in. We’re waiting to see what the animals in the valley, now, do,” Delozier said. “The whole point of a third release was to insure we would have enough animals to monitor. With the low mortality and lack of dispersal, we may have enough animals to do that without releasing anymore.” He pointed out, however, that there has been no official decision regarding a third release. He said it was still an option if things in Cataloochee changed drastically. The state of North Carolina is one party that will be happy if no more elk are brought to Cataloochee. Earlier this year the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, prompted by the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in western states, banned the importation and/or transporting of elk or deer in the state. CWD is a contagious neurological disease carried by cervids (deer and elk.) It’s unclear what impact a state ban would have on the experimental elk release because the state has no jurisdiction over national parks. The park is confident its sources, Land Between the Lakes and Elk Island, are free from CWD. A necropsy performed on three of the adult elk from Elk Island that died early this spring proved negative for CWD. The elk apparently died from the stress associated with capture, transporting and being in captivity. The park service has hired an additional biologist, Brandon Wear, to help Murrow and staff keep up with the additional elk in the valley. Murrow and Delozier said Wear was an invaluable addition to the team. Wear’s main focus is keeping tabs on elk that roam outside the park and providing a liaison between the Park Service, property owners and others impacted by the wandering animals. Murrow said having Wear to interact with and educate the public made things safer for the public and the roaming elk. Delozier said he felt the higher Park Service visibility helped reassure citizens and let them know the elk were being monitored. “So far, the experimental release has met or exceeded all of our expectations,” Delozier said.