PARK PLANS ARRIVAL OF FIRST ELK

For Information: Bob Miller, 865/436-1207

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Mike Tollefson has announced that the first elk to roam the Smokies in over 150 years will arrive in early February. Park biologists had been considering an arrival date of January 3, but have concluded that the earlier date would result in undue stress to the animals by keeping them in captivity longer than required. The 25 elk will be released into a pen in the Cataloochee (NC) area of the Park as part of a five-year experiment to determine if elk can re-establish themselves after their long absence. The elk will be held in the 3-acre acclimation pen for a period of about two months prior to their release that will be timed to coincide with the spring "green-up". Biologists at other elk release projects have found that using this soft-release technique can reduce the likelihood of the elk straying long distances.

Prior to being set free in early April all 25 animals will be radio-collared so that their movements can be tracked to help determine their habitat use and food preferences. Biologists will use that information, along with their records of the health and any mortalities, to decide whether the Smokies is a suitable site for a full-scale elk reintroduction.

Elk Arrival in Smokies

In the interest of reducing the disturbance and protecting the elk while they are in captivity, the acclimation pen site will be posted as off-limits to visitor use. The pen itself is covered with an opaque material that will reduce the chances of elk injuring themselves by running into the fencing, but will also prevent viewing from outside the pen. According to Superintendent Tollefson, "Because of these limited viewing opportunities at the pen site the event to welcome the first elk will occur in the large open meadows of the Cataloochee Valley. However, we will provide for access to the pen for media so that people will be able to see these animals on TV and also on our website at various points in the capture, handling and release process."

The estimated $1.1 million cost of the five-year experiment will be funded by donations from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF), the Friends of the Smokies, and the Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association. The RMEF has supported recent elk expansion efforts in Kentucky, Virginia, Missouri, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania as well as a project set to begin December 19, in Campbell County Tennessee. Gary West, RMEF Regional Development Director, said that, "The success of these past projects has always boiled down to getting people actively involved in conservation programs at their local levels. We have seen exactly this same sort of enthusiasm taking hold around the Smokies.

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