ELK MANAGEMENT IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

 

 A visit to Yellowstone National Park guarantees beautiful scenery and incredible wildlife viewing.  But no other animal is more commonly sighted than the Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphas).  There are an estimated total of 120,000 elk that call the Greater Yellowstone area home.  To park and wildlife managers, this animal provides a multitude of challenges which often lead to controversy amongst local, state, and federal agencies and governments.

 Some of the controversies surrounding elk management include:

1. The natural regulation management paradigm
2. The reintroduction of predators in the park
3. The effects of brucellosis and the economic impacts
4. The presence of humans in the park (tourists)
5. Different management strategies in the areas immediately bordering the park

 For detailed information on the elk in Yellowstone, please click on the topics at the left of this screen.  More information can be found at the Yellowstone National Park webpage.