Park Elk Reduction Finished Ahead of Schedule

Date: March 22, 2012
Contact: Eileen Andes, 701-623-4466

The National Park Service is moving into the maintenance phase of the Elk Management Plan in Theodore Roosevelt National Park this fall, after two highly successful elk reduction efforts during 2010-2011.

"Outstanding efforts by park staff and nearly 400 volunteers resulted in the removal of 868 elk from the park over the past two years," said Superintendent Valerie J. Naylor."We have met our goal of reducing the population of elk in the South Unit."

When elk reduction efforts began in 2010, the elk population in the park was over 1,200 animals.However, after two effective reduction efforts in the park and two successful hunting seasons outside park boundaries, the population is now at the lower end of the park's population objective of 100-400 elk.The park conducted an aerial elk survey in January 2012 and counted 138 elk within the boundaries of the South Unit. This reduction of the population allows the park to move into the maintenance phase of the management plan.No volunteers will be needed to assist with elk management this fall.

"We are pleased that the management effort has been so successful, and we thank the many volunteers who took time away from their families and jobs to assist us with the reduction these past two years," said Naylor."We had originally anticipated that it may take up to five years to get to this phase of our management plan, but we got there much more quickly."

Because there is always uncertainty associated with counting wildlife, especially when the population is at a low number, the park must proceed cautiously with the next phase ofmanagement.Park biologists will use GPS collars and intensive monitoring this fall to refine the population estimate and determine if any removals are warranted.If monitoring indicates that the population is still at the lower end of the preferred range, then no removals will occur this year.If, however, a few animals must be removed beyond those expected to be taken outside the park during the elk hunting season, National Park Service biologists will conduct the limited removals starting in November.

"Elk are an important part of the badlands ecosystem, so we will continue to maintain a healthy population of elk in the park," said Naylor.

-NPS-