Current Project
ELK (Cervus elaphus)
Until the early to mid-eighteen hundreds, American elk or wapiti roamed through the southern Appalachain Mountains, but they have since been extirpated. Elk were once common in Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, and Georgia.
In 1991, the present director of the Extirpated Species Foundation prepared a proposal for the reintroduction of American elk into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. After overcoming much of the original skepticism associated with the unlikely success of such an ambitious undertaking, a cooperative funding partnership was formed with the University of Tennessee, The National Park Service, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
At some point in the past, someone had convinced the wildlife community that the parasitic meningeal worm (Brain Worm) would destroy any elk herd released in the southeast. After researching available data on meningeal worm and visiting elk herds in Arkansas, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, Long was able to show skeptics that eastern herds could expect losses of only 1% per year to the parasite. This would be an acceptable mortality factor in future herds. The project picked up many new supporters as the facts concerning meningeal worm were accepted.
Over the next few years, Bob Long developed a Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) model for the evaluation of elk habitat in the Southeast and completed a comprehensive feasibility study and habitat evaluation. Parameters from the HSI model were combined with a Geographic Information System (GIS) database to locate other suitable elk habitat throughout the southeast. Results of the study were presented to the National Park Service and other state and federal agencies in 1996. In early 1997, NPS announced plans to accept the feasibility recommendation for an experimental release of 75 radio collard elk into the park over a three year period. On February 2, 2001, Great Smoky Mountains National Park repatriated 25 elk to the Cataloochee Valley in North Carolina and later in 2002 an additional 27 animals were added to the herd. By 2003, the herd was doing so well, plans for additional elk were scrapped. Also in 2003, all interstate transport of live elk & deer by agencies ended when chronic wasting disease was found in Wisconsin white-tailed deer. This was the first case east of the Mississippi River.
The Smokies herd needs more cows because the first two calving seasons produced only one female calf out of 14 survivors. Black bear predation was another problem encountered by the Smokies herd. Although other elk populations do well in areas with high bear densities, the elk from Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area had not been exposed to such large predators feeding on newborn calves.
Currently, the North Carolina State vet is blocking acquisition of desperately needed cows. One the positive side, cows have adapted to bear predation by traveling longer distances from the herd to give birth and hide their calves for the first few weeks. Today more calves are surviving bear predation and a higher percentage of the calves are female.
Working with Tennessee Valley Authority, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the director prepared a feasibility and habitat evaluation for reintroduction of elk into Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. And he also participated in the development of a 750 acre enclosed wildlife viewing area featuring reintroduced native grasses, elk, and bison (see bison page).
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resource used the HSI model, developed for the Smokies project, combined with their GIS database to locate suitable elk habitat in eastern Kentucky. This method saved the project more than one year in locating and evaluation suitable elk habitat. To date, more than 5,500 elk are on the ground in Kentucky. Starting on December 19, 2000, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency released 167 elk into the Royal Blue Wildlife Management Area in northern Tennessee. The Tennessee herd has increased in number to approximately 200 animals. At this point, all release sites are experiencing favorable results.
Additional Links:
Making Strides in Appalachian Elk Country
Southern Appalachian Elk Restoration
Elk not only species to get second chance in park
Elk Environmental Assessment in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Park Plans Arrival of First Elk
Return of the Elk To the Smokies