A young bull elk’s misery finally ended after two exhausting, long years! They finally freed him from the dangling tire on his neck.
This project was two years in the making. Colorado Parks and Wildlife authorities freed the four-year-old young bull elk from the extra 20-pound weight dangling on its neck last Saturday around 8 pm. They have been watching it from afar for two years now in an attempt to remove the tire. However, every attempt failed because they could not get close enough to give it a tranquilizer shot. Based on their observation, the elk is unaffected by the extra load when drinking and eating. However, the possibility of being strangled remained. Simply because his neck swells and grows larger during mating season. His neck could become thick enough that it could fill up the hole in the middle of the tire. This could make breathing harder for him. Also, his blood flow can be restricted. There’s also the potential of being tangled in branches or in another elk’s antlers, which could be dangerous for both of them.
These reasons motivated our animal heroes to continue to monitor and pursue the animal for two years. A concerned resident called Wildlife officers Dawson Swanson and Scott Murdoch after seeing the bull in their neighborhood. They were able to easily identify him from a herd of elks. They got close enough to successfully administer the tranquilizer.
Unfortunately, they have to cut one of his impressive antlers to remove the tire. But his antlers can still grow back come spring. They also found 10 pounds of debris from the crevice of the tire. A small, open wound and rubbed off hair were seen on the bull’s neck, brought about by the extra load he carried for a couple of years. He seemed healthy altogether except for that minor blemish.
The saga of the bull elk with a tire around its neck is over. Thanks to the residents just south of Pine Junction on CR 126 for reporting its location, wildlife officers were able to free it of that tire Saturday.
Story: https://t.co/WHfkfPuAck
📸’s courtesy of Pat Hemstreet pic.twitter.com/OcnceuZrpk
— CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) October 11, 2021
This is no longer a rare story. We’ve heard of many animals trapped in debris, plastic bags, among others. Man’s negligence is a threat to their lives. May this be a lesson for everyone that their welfare is also our responsibility. Let’s dispose of our trash properly and recycle what can still be used. After all, we were assigned by God to rule over them.
“God blessed them and said to them, Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1:28
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