Massive Herd of Elk in Montana
This video shows a huge heard crossing the road near Yellowstone. It’s located at Bozeman, MT. We have never seen such a big herd before. Poor little guy at the end. Luckily he finally caught up. What did you think of the elk crossing?
Elk migration in Yellowstone National Park is a fascinating natural phenomenon. Here are some interesting facts about it:
- Seasonal Movement: Elk in Yellowstone undertake one of the longest remaining land mammal migrations in the contiguous United States. They migrate between their winter range in the northern parts of the park and their summer range in the higher elevations of the park.
- Population Size: The northern Yellowstone elk herd is one of the largest herds in North America, with an estimated population of around 10,000 individuals.
- Altitudinal Migration: Elk undertake altitudinal migration, moving from lower elevation winter ranges to higher elevation summer ranges. During winter, they descend to lower valleys where they find milder temperatures and access to food.
- Breeding Season: Elk migration in Yellowstone is influenced by the breeding season, known as the rut, which typically occurs in the fall. During this time, the bulls compete for mating rights by bugling, displaying their antlers, and engaging in physical confrontations.
- Route Selection: The migration routes of elk in Yellowstone are not fixed and can vary from year to year. The selection of routes depends on factors such as snow depth, forage availability, and predator avoidance.
- Natural Barriers: Elk migration routes are sometimes impeded by natural barriers like deep snow or large rivers. These obstacles can influence the timing and success of migration, as elk need to find suitable crossing points.
- Predator-Prey Interaction: The migration of elk in Yellowstone also influences predator behavior. Wolves, Yellowstone’s apex predators, are known to follow the elk herds during migration, targeting weak or injured individuals.
- Ecological Impact: Elk migration plays a vital role in shaping the landscape and maintaining ecological balance in Yellowstone. Their grazing patterns can affect plant growth, and their movements help disperse seeds and nutrients.
- Human-Wildlife Interactions: Elk migration attracts a significant number of visitors to Yellowstone, providing them with opportunities to observe and appreciate this natural spectacle. Park authorities manage traffic and access points to minimize disturbances to the migrating elk.
- Research and Conservation: Scientists study elk migration in Yellowstone to understand the ecological processes and inform conservation efforts. Research helps in evaluating the impacts of climate change, habitat alteration, and human activities on elk populations and their migration patterns.
These fascinating elk migrations in Yellowstone National Park showcase the intricate relationship between wildlife, landscape, and the dynamic processes of nature.
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September 3, 2014 @ 1:55 pm
Some winter season, check out the Elk Preserve in Jackson Hole, WY where all the elk in the area come out of the hills from their summer haunts around the Tetons to stay for the winter. Their food supply is supplemented by the DNR and number in the hundreds. In the spring the local Boy Scout troop(s) have first crack at scouring the area to round up all the discarded antlers for their annual fundraising efforts.
September 2, 2014 @ 7:00 pm
Played gold at the Evergreen Golf Course in Evergreen, Colorado – about 30 miles west of Denver in mountains. When we got to 17th hole it was overrun with elk. A par four and an estimated 75 elks sleeping and eating on the fairway. We skipped the hole.
September 2, 2014 @ 1:49 pm
FYI Dawn Copas of August 21…
I am a retired Highway Engineer,…and I remember building some Animal Culvert Crossings during the construction of some new highways, about 8 x 8 concrete tunnels, under some roads for deer and elk…We also installed corrugated culverts for fish crossings in some areas….Otis
PS. The best part is that there were others waiting for the young one to catch up!
September 1, 2014 @ 11:22 pm
Hmph. I kept expecting a family of Sámi (Laplanders) following the herd.
September 1, 2014 @ 8:25 am
How can those big animals jump that fence?!
August 31, 2014 @ 11:51 pm
Made me think about putting fences across the land and cattlemen & ranchers in a different light
August 29, 2014 @ 9:12 pm
Where were all the vicious wolves? Wolves are quite family oriented, also. Oh, that’s right. We humans are killing off the wolves so we will have ALL those elk to also shoot. Nature’s way, don’t ya’ know.
August 29, 2014 @ 3:46 pm
If this was in Indiana, the DNR would call for hunters to “thin” the herd. That’s their favorite thing to do.
August 29, 2014 @ 4:16 pm
Not only in Indiana. Jurisdictions on both sides of the Canadian, American border choose the ‘culling’ option.
August 28, 2014 @ 9:30 pm
On occassion you’ll see a herd of close to a thousand crossing Rt. 285 just 5-8 miles north of Fairplay, Colorado.
August 28, 2014 @ 12:06 pm
I am still distracted by the misspelling of the word “herd”, having written it as “heard” in your primary caption.
Darn English language!……..All those words that sound alike, but mean something different and are spelled differently. Words that are in that category are called homo-phonic. Yes, I know, it sounds a little like another word 🙂 The other word will get you labeled as a “bigoted hater”.
August 28, 2014 @ 3:10 pm
What’s interesting to me as a human behavioural scientist, and in respect to the ‘heard’ comment, is how humans become distracted from the focus of almost anything, so as to find fault and correct others. “But i’m only trying to help” is what i often hear. NOT!