‘Hidden’ Elk Charges and Hurts a 4-year-old Boy in Colorado’s Second Elk Attack in a Week
People who live in and visit a Colorado town are being told to be careful after a cow elk attacked a 4-year-old boy. This happened just days after an 8-year-old girl was attacked by one while riding her bike.
Around 1:30 p.m. Monday, the 4-year-old boy was playing at a playground in Estes Park when a cow elk “suddenly charged and stomped on him multiple times,” according to a news statement from Colorado Parks and Wildlife on Tuesday.
People who saw the families at the playground say they didn’t know that two elk kids were “hidden nearby in a rock area.”
A family member scared the elk away and took the hurt boy to the hospital, where he was treated and then sent home Monday evening, according to CPW.
CPW said that when an officer got to the scene, they saw several cow elk and used “non-lethal bean bag rounds to encourage the elk to leave the park.”
The elk went to a different area, but CPW had to close the playground and parts of the Lake Estes Loop trail for good. Elk that are known to be dangerous have also been marked with signs in the area.
A cow elk attacked an 8-year-old girl riding her bike last Thursday in Estes Park, a town about 65 miles from Denver. The cow elk stomped on the girl several times.
“Recovering from her injuries,” Area Wildlife Manager Jason Duetsch said in a statement Friday.
The CPW says that Colorado has over 280,000 elk, which is one of the biggest populations of elk in the world. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation says that male elks are the only ones with antlers and can weigh up to 700 pounds. Cow elks, on the other hand, weigh about 500 pounds.
The government warns people not to interact with wildlife.
Wildlife officials say that cow elk and cow moose will often fight with people in the spring when their young are close. Officials say to stay away from these animals and give them space, especially those with young.
“While newborn calves are immobile, cow elk can become aggressive towards perceived threats,” said CPW. “When people are outside having fun, they should be aware that calves could be hiding nearby.” Elk cows can charge from a long way away. Please obey signs that say “aggressive elk” and trails that are closed.
“Never disturb young wildlife, even if they appear to be alone, as the mother is most likely nearby searching for food,” they said.
The exact number of elk attacks on people in Colorado is unknown, but since 2006, there have been 21 moose attacks on people. In almost all of them, there was at least one dog present, and one of them was deadly.
