Residents and visitors in Banff and Canmore are being reminded to be on alert during elk calving season, a time of year when protective mothers will aggressively protect their newborns by charging at people.
Cow elk have their young from mid-May to early July, and will defend their newborn calves if they think they’re in danger, leading to several incidents over the years in which people have been injured.
Wildlife officials say just because people see elk in and around town, on golf courses or playing fields, they shouldn’t mistake them for tame, noting cow elk will charge and strike out with sharp hooves to protect their young.
Jay Honeyman, human-wildlife conflict biologist with Alberta Environment and Parks, said people must keep their distance and give elk space, noting they would like to hear about any elk with newborn calves in Canmore.
He said elk are definitely moving about town, adding a group of elk was on the train tracks by A&W last weekend.
“Over the last couple of years, we’ve had them calving in some of our urban green spaces,” said Honeyman. “That’s resulted in obvious public safety issues, with mom being very aggressive.”
A newborn calf is defenseless against predators for the first three weeks of its life, so cow elk keep newborns well hidden in bushes and shrubs. She visits the calf only a few times a day, standing guard not too far away.
The mother licks her calf all over to make sure it is perfectly clean and clear of any smells that could attract predators. With its lack of smell and spotted coat, a calf is carefully camouflaged in secluded wooded areas.
Once a calf has gained its running legs, it joins the herd with its mother.
Tips on how to avoid an elk encounter:
•Stay 30 meters away from all elk;
•Avoid lone female elk, they separate from the herd for calving and may have calves nearby;
•Walk on open roads rather than forest trails to avoid stumbling upon female elk or calves;
•Keep children within arms reach and always keep dogs on a leash;
•Travel in groups and carry a walking stick or pepper spray.
If you can’t avoid an elk encounter:
•Act dominant if an elk gets too close;
•Seek protection behind a tree or vehicle;
•Raise your arms or flap a jacket to make yourself appear larger; maintain eye contact and move away. Contact encounters are rare – if knocked down get up and move away. Do not play dead. Source: Parks Canada.
Report all elk sightings within the Banff townsite, or to report aggressive elk incidents in Banff call 403-762-1470. To report aggressive elk incidents around Canmore, or females with newborns within town, call 403-591-7755.
