Skip to content

Dramatic rescue fails to save elk

Several elk perished after falling through thin ice on the Bow River upstream of the Banff townsite Saturday (Nov. 9), despite a massive effort by Parks Canada to save them.
A helicopter is used to remove a dead bull elk from the Bow River.
A helicopter is used to remove a dead bull elk from the Bow River.

Several elk perished after falling through thin ice on the Bow River upstream of the Banff townsite Saturday (Nov. 9), despite a massive effort by Parks Canada to save them.

Seven elk died, including two that wildlife experts euthanized after it became apparent they were not going to survive the traumatic ordeal.

Staff cut a channel in the ice at two separate locations in an attempt to help get the animals to the safety of the shore, but some of them were already dead or had died during the rescue attempt.

Steve Michel, human-wildlife conflict specialist, said wildlife experts would not usually intervene when animals fall through the ice in a remote location, but this happened close to the townsite.

“Elk movement and behaviour is certainly modified around town by the presence of people and off-leash dogs and it’s not entirely natural, so we made a decision to intervene to try and give them an opportunity to survive,” he said. “Had it been in a more remote location, we wouldn’t have any response at all.”

Parks Canada received a call about 9:30 a.m. Saturday of three elk – a bull, cow and calf – in the river just upstream from Banff’s canoe docks. The bull had died by the time they arrived.

Michel said a channel was chopped through the ice to allow the cow and calf to get to shore, where staff helped the struggling animals get out of the frigid water.

“The calf did not survive and perished shortly after making it to shore,” he said. “The cow elk was in a really poor and deteriorating condition and wasn’t going to make it, so it was euthanized.”

Shortly after, Canadian Pacific Railway reported elk in the river further upstream. A bull was already dead by the time the rescue team arrived, though three cows were still clinging to life.

Michel said staff again made a channel in the ice so the three cow elk could swim to shore, but two of them ended up drowning as they struggled to get to the safety of the bank.

“One cow made it to shore, but its condition declined rapidly on the bank, and after an hour or so, a decision was made to euthanize that animal as well,” he said.

A helicopter was called in to sling the elk carcasses away from the townsite so as not to attract wolves and cougars, yet to give predators and scavengers a meal out of town.

As the pilot was flying out the elk carcasses, he reported noticing an eighth elk by Third Vermilion Lake, this time being fed on by a pack of wolves.

“That carcass was left because there was no risk to public safety and it was quite a long distance away from town,” said Michel.

Resident Rachel Simoni was out for a morning walk by the Marsh Loop when she spotted the helicopter lifting elk carcasses.

“I always see the elk pretty much every other day because they’re always grazing in this area,” she said. “I thought it was really amazing, the efforts they went to try to help save the wildlife.”

Michel said it is not known why the elk tried to cross the thin ice in that location, whether they misjudged the thickness of the ice or were startled by people, dogs or natural predators.

“We know there had been wolf activity in Vermilion Lakes the day before and we know a single elk was being fed on by wolves,” he said.

“It may have been natural predator activity that may have startled the elk, but we don’t know for sure.”


Rocky Mountain Outlook

About the Author: Rocky Mountain Outlook

The Rocky Mountain Outlook is Bow Valley's No. 1 source for local news and events.
Read more



Comments

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks