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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - On Friday, February 2, 26 elk will arrive at an
acclimation pen in the Cataloochee Valley, marking the beginning of a
five-year experimental elk reintroduction. The elk are being relocated from the Land Between the Lakes on the Kentucky-Tennessee border to the temporary pen where they will spend eight to ten weeks before being radio collared and released roam the park freely.
The elk will be closely monitored by biologists from the University of
Tennessee and the U.S. Geological Survey, to assess movements, habitat use, food preferences and overall health. Plans to relocate 25 more elk in both 2002 and 2003 will bring the total to 76 animals.
The elk have been certified free of brucellosis and tuberculosis. The LBL
herd originated from Elk Island National Park in Alberta, Canada, whose
disease-monitoring program to ensure the health of its animals is
long-established.
According to Smokies Superintendent Mike Tollefson, "One of the primary
roles of our national parks is to preserve, and sometimes restore natural
processes and biological diversity. Where it is feasible, that may mean
reintroducing species that were historically part of an ecosystem, but were
eradicated by human development. The purpose of this experimental release is
to determine if conditions are favorable for elk to reassume their historic
role in the Smokies ecosystem."
In the interest of reducing disturbance and protecting the elk while they
are in captivity, the acclimation pen site will be posted as off-limits to
visitor use. The pen itself is covered with an opaque material to reduce the
chances of elk injuring themselves by running into the fence, and to prevent
viewing from the outside. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has previously
provided support for elk reintroductions and relocations in Kentucky,
Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Ontario, and is funding elk reintroduction
feasibility studies in New York, Missouri and Virginia.
"Where suitable habitat and public support exist, the Elk Foundation has
teamed up with various state and federal agencies to restore elk herds to
their historic ranges and fill voids in many landscapes," said John Mechler,
Kentucky and Tennessee regional director for the Elk Foundation. "The return
of elk stirs up new enthusiasm for wildlife and conservation, and offers
excellent opportunities for conservation education."
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has committed $466,000 to the first four
years of the program. The Richard King Mellon Foundation has directed a
$100,000 grant to the Elk Foundation to help meet the funding goal, and the
Elk Foundation has kicked off a fundraising initiative to pay for future
research and management costs deemed necessary by the Park. Other project
partners in the reintroduction include the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation, Friends of the Smokies and the Great Smoky Mountains Natural
History Association.
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is an international, nonprofit
conservation organization whose mission is to ensure the future of elk,
other wildlife and their habitat. Founded in 1984, the Foundation now has
120,000 members who have helped generate the funds to conserve and enhance 3
million acres of wildlife habitat across North America. To learn more about
the Elk Foundation, visit www.elkfoundation.org , or phone 1-800 CALL ELK
Uploaded: 1/31/2001
Uploaded: 1/31/2001