BANFF – An elk calf that crashed through the ice of the Bow River in Banff had a lucky escape thanks to the tireless efforts of the national park’s wildlife experts.
Within 45 minutes of the elk falling into the river by the Muskrat Street pedestrian bridge on Sunday (April 2), the dedicated team had pulled the calf from the river and wrapped it in warm blankets before it rejoined the rest of the herd.
Bow Valley resident Hunter Scrimshaw witnessed the dramatic rescue, which drew a crowd of onlookers worried the elk calf would succumb to hypothermia and drown in the frigid water, as the rest of the jittery elk herd splintered into different areas.
“I heard a big crack and a calf fell right through the ice,” said Scrimshaw, who dabbles in wildlife photography and captured the dramatic video. “It was having a hard time and no success getting out.”
As a group of onlookers was drawn to the area, Parks Canada was called for assistance with the exhausted calf.
Quick to arrive at the scene, Parks Canada rescuers went out onto the thin ice, with two geared up in dry suits edging toward the broken ice to secure a noose around the elk calf’s neck before using larger, stronger straps to pull it to safety.
“They had good leverage on the ice and inched the calf out, little by little,” said Scrimshaw, noting the squealing calf was rolled into a large sled and taken back to the safety of the shore.
“They pushed the calf onto shore and gently rolled it out and got it in some blankets. It was so cute, sitting up and looking around.”
It took the elk calf about an hour before it was able to get sensation back in its legs, stand and run to join the herd.
Scrimshaw said the Parks Canada team did an amazing in saving the young elk, noting the elk fell through the ice about 9:15 a.m. and was out by 10 a.m.
“The whole thing was so impressive,” he said.
“I am sure Parks Canada doesn’t get the recognition they deserve. I think they deserve high praise here.”
It is not uncommon for Parks Canada to get calls when elk fall through the ice in the townsite in spring.
In late March 2021, an elk calf was plucked from the frigid river waters upstream of the canoe docks, while just days earlier, dedicated park staff worked through the night to save four elk that had broken through the ice near Central Park.
Three of the four adult cow elk survived that evening’s stressful ordeal, but one animal became weaker and weaker and had to be put down despite efforts by park resource conservation officers for almost 12 hours to save her.
In January of that year, Parks Canada staff tried to save a hypothermic cow elk that fell through the ice near Central Park. After getting out of the frigid water, staff spent the next six-and-a-half hours trying to warm her with blankets and heaters, but the elk ended up dying as a result of the trauma.
When elk crash through the river ice in highly visible and developed locations in the Banff townsite, Parks Canada typically makes the decision to try to save them. When this happens out of view or in less busy areas, they often let nature take its course – or in most cases wouldn’t even hear about it.
A big reason for intervening is to avoid onlookers from putting their own lives at risk to save the elk when Parks Canada staff have the safety gear, equipment and training to mount these types of rescues. There is also concern elk carcasses could draw carnivores like wolves and bears to the area.
Parks Canada requests these types of incidents be reported to Banff dispatch at 403-762-1470.
A Parks Canada spokesperson was not immediately available for comment on Sunday’s elk rescue.
