Elk

On the way into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee, North Carolina – we were treated to quite the peaceful time watching an elk herd in the valley. They grazed, they rested, the signature smoke rose up from the mountains. We highly recommend stopping if this is a possibility for you – just keep your distance. 

Here’s some quick facts about Elk in the Great Smoky Mountains:

• Adult male elk are known as “bulls.” They weigh an average of 600-700 pounds. Female elk are called “cows” and average 500 pounds.
• Adult elk are 7-10 feet long from nose to tail and stand 4.5-5 feet tall at the shoulder. Adult males’ antlers can reach a span of five feet. Elk can live as long as 15 years.
• Elk have a strong sense of smell and excellent eyesight to protect them from predators.
• Coyotes, bobcats, and black bears may kill young, sick, or injured elk, but adult elk are generally safe from predators in the park. Gray wolves and mountain lions, both of which are no longer present in the Great Smoky Mountains, are successful predators of elk elsewhere.
• Elk are vegetarian and eat grasses, forbs, and acorns, as well as the bark, leaves, and buds from shrubs and trees.
• Cows usually give birth to only one calf per year. Newborns weigh about 35 pounds and can stand within minutes of birth. Calves nurse for 1-7 months. Females are ready to breed in the second autumn of their lives.