Grand Canyon Elk

It’s no secret that I like animals. Every encounter is a novel, yet delightful experience, truly attesting to nothing less than an amazing imagination of the Creator. 

Wildlife viewing is common in the Grand Canyon; furry friends often cross paths with visitors, especially in the winter when the human population has greatly dwindled. 

We were fortunate to meet several locals along the rim; however, we kept our distance as they have attacked visitors in the past.

These mighty beasts, know as Rocky Mountain Elk, are incredible to watch, but what’s more incredible is the story of their journey to the Grand Canyon, and how they halted a conservationist’s nightmare. In the late 1800’s, elk indigenous to this region, the Merriam Elk, were hunted to extinction. This, in turn, triggered the mountain lion population to become more aggressive, shifting the hunters’ focus, leading to their obliteration. The lack of predators in the region proved to be beneficial to the deer population, their numbers growing from 10,000 to 100,000 in 1907. Unfortunately, these plant loving animals wiped out all of the foliage in a short period of time; it was reported that 95,000 died from starvation that winter.

A remedy was formulated and put into action around 1913 with the introduction of a herd of Rocky Mountain Elk from Wyoming. In spite of their less than optimal capability to survive in the arid climate of Arizona, they have managed to find the water sources necessary to sustain and even thrive in the Grand Canyon area. 

Did anyone ask the elk if a desert home was on their bucket list? I would say probably not; however, these magnificent animals reign heroic in my book!