They trickle in slowly at first, showing up in lower areas like Antelope Flats...
The earliest arrivals will have obstacles to navigate such as swollen streams and shaded hillsides still covered with snow...
The elk are seeking the fresh green foliage of the new season, as well as birthing grounds for the calves that many are carrying...
One of their favorite areas to give birth in GTNP is called Willow Flats...
Through countless centuries the elk have come to this area, and following them have come one of their greatest predators, the grizzly bear...
It would be very difficult for a grizzly to catch a healthy adult elk, but a newborn calf is something entirely different...
One morning in June when we arrived at Willow Flats we found the elk bunched up and acting agitated...
We knew that grizzlies had been frequenting the area so we decided to park and watch for a while. It didn't take long for a pattern to emerge. Some of the elk clearly wanted to cross the road and leave the area...
Just when it seemed the herd was leaving, others would return to their original positions...
We learned that shortly before we arrived a calf had been killed by a bear; we deduced that the mother of the dead calf did not want to leave it...
During this period of indecision there was a great deal of calling, and two cow elk nearly came to blows...
Suddenly, from the willows near where the calf was killed, another calf appeared and quickly joined the herd...
The calf that had been in hiding was greeted and protectively surrounded by the herd...
The calf's mother quickly fed and comforted it...
A short time later most of the elk did cross to the other side of the road. Little did they know that another grizzly with two cubs awaited them...
Because of predation by grizzly bears, black bears, wolves and coyotes only fifty percent of newborn elk calves survive their first year.
Thanks for visiting, be well, and come back soon.
What a gorgeous place, Steve. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDelete