Photo by Ed Green
Correction: The images with this story were incorrectly credited in our November issue. The photographer is Ed Green. We apologize for the error.
By Paula Musto
The statistics are alarming. Over the past few centuries, hundreds of wildlife species have been forced into extinction and tens of thousands more are now on the brink. Not all in the natural world, however, is doom and gloom. Conservation success stories exist, including one in our own backyard—the elk herd in the Cataloochee Valley.
Centuries ago, vast herds of elk roamed southern Appalachia, but multiple factors, including overhunting and deforestation, led to declining populations until elk disappeared completely by the end of the 18th century. But today a healthy and growing herd call the Smoky Mountains home. It is an environmental achievement that you can witness just an hour’s drive from Asheville.
The story begins 23 years ago when the Great Smoky Mountains National Park launched an experimental project to re-introduce elk into their historic range. Deep inside the Park lies the Cataloochee Valley, an isolated wilderness area between NC and TN. Biologists hoped it would be a good fit for the 52 elk transferred from Kentucky’s Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, where the species had been successfully re-introduced a few years earlier, and from Elk Island National Park in Alberta, Canada.
Photo by Ed Green
“There were hurdles early on,” says Joe Yarkovich, a Park biologist who has spent more than 20 years managing the elk program. “The elk had been missing for a long time. We did not know how well they would adapt.”
A prime problem was the sizeable population of black bears that inhabit the Smokies. The out-of-state transplants had no experience with these predators.
“In the first years, we lost most of the elk calves to bear predation,” Yarkovich says, explaining that while the mothers could outrun a bear, the offspring were at risk. To help the calves reach adulthood and keep the burgeoning elk herd from being wiped out, the park service trapped and moved bears out of the primary calving area. The bears were temporarily displaced, but the calves in the area thrived.
“But even more importantly, calf survival remained high when, after three years, we stopped moving bears,” Yarkovich says. “That told us that the elk in the area had learned to deal with bears as predators and were now able to sustain themselves by hiding and protecting their calves.”
Today there are roughly 250 to 270 elk in the park and adjacent areas. This includes a sizeable herd in the nearby town of Cherokee. Population growth has been slow but steady, says Yarkovich, allowing for co-existence between the animals and humans with minimal levels of conflict.
Rather than disruptive, the elk are a popular Park attraction, especially in the fall. Visitors who are willing to navigate a narrow, unpaved and twisting access road are rewarded with spectacular sights and sounds. It is not unusual to see dozens of these impressive animals lazily grazing in open fields. During the fall mating season, known as the rut, dominant males can be heard bugling—emitting piercing, high-pitched cries that echo across the valley to attract females and intimidate other males. The males (bulls) vie for females (cows) by charging and sparring with competitors using their formidable antlers as weapons. A solitary male may breed with a harem of more than 20 females.
November is the end of rutting season, and ordinarily visitors have a good chance of viewing the herd against a beautiful autumn landscape of golden fields and falling leaves. At press time, however, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park remained closed, so please check the website before planning a visit.
When you are able to visit, park staff and volunteers are often on hand to answer questions and keep onlookers at a distance of at least 50 yards away. The elk may look harmless, but these are large and imposing wild creatures, unpredictable and capable of running up to 40 mph at full speed, easily beating the fastest human.
In centuries past, bison, red wolves and other wildlife now no longer seen roamed the mountains surrounding Asheville. But wildlife conservationists are making inroads. In addition to the elk, two other species—river otters and falcons—have been successfully re-introduced, bolstering our region’s ecological legacy. A visit to Cataloochee is a glimpse into Appalachia’s past and future.
To learn more, visit nps.gov and put “Cataloochee Valley” into the search bar. Paula Musto is a writer and volunteer for Appalachian Wild. To help save wildlife, donate and learn more, visit AppalachianWild.org.
