On Monday, April 2, wildlife biologists at Great Smoky Mountains National Park swung open the gates to release the first 25 elk to roam the park in almost 200 years. The elk had been confined to a temporary acclimation pen in the Cataloochee area of the Park since their arrival in North Carolina on Feb. 2.

The decision to release the elk for its five-year experimental release through a “soft release” following a brief period of confinement was designed to reduce stress and mortality on the animals and to bond them to one another socially. Biologists also hoped that the process will establish the pen site as the hub of the herd’s territory, reducing their wanderings.

“Monday’s release from the pen went exactly as we had hoped it would,” said Park Wildlife Biologist Kim DeLozier said. “The elk noticed the open gate by about 9 a.m, but they came out very cautiously rather than like a jail break. It took them until nearly 5:30 p.m. to venture out, and when they did emerge, they moved as a group rather than scattering in different directions. Then, after browsing for about an hour, something startled them and they took refuge back in the pen.”

By Tuesday morning a smaller group had made their way down into the 1,000-acre, open meadow where they were sampling newly-emerged spring grass. From this point on, a University of Tennessee graduate student will be monitoring all 25 elk via a mixture of new GPS collars and standard radio tracking collars.

The information gathered about the animals’ health, reproduction, movements, habitat preferences, and any human conflicts will guide the park’s decision on a permanent elk release.

Unlike the arrival event in February, which attracted over 900 wildlife enthusiasts, photographers and plenty of media, the release from the pen was purposely very low-key. Only three still and video photographers were on hand, waiting patiently in a special scent-suppressing blind, to record the animal’s first explorations into the Smokies.

The upper end of Cataloochee Valley, closed for a few days after the release, is now open to vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The closure was to reduce stress on the elk and to allow space to get accustomed to the area and establish themselves in the meadows.

Even though the valley is open from this point on, Smokies Superintendent Tollefson cautions people to keep their distance in order to allow the elk space to continue adjustment to their surroundings.

 

Back to Top
The Smoky Mountain News