ELK 101
Can an Elk Calf Survive Without its Mom?
PHOTO: Dawn Y. Wilson
by Clayton Elmore
For brown-eyed, wobbly kneed elk calves, life is about surviving to maturity, and the odds aren’t exactly in their favor.
Elk country is a dangerous place for calves, between predators, accidents, drought, disease or anything else that can cause hardship or injury. According to a 2008 study looking at elk calf mortality across several western states, 69% of elk calves will die before completing their first lap around the sun. Predators in the study areas took their toll, with grizzly and black bears accounting for 60% of mortality while wolves accounted for 14-17%.
The biggest factor in calf survival may not be what is trying to eat it, but how much care and protection it receives. Studies have revealed that the leading factor influencing a calf’s survival is the presence of the mother. If a calf is orphaned in the first year of life because its mother dies or the calf is otherwise abandoned, it has virtually no chance of survival without the sustenance (in the form of milk) and protection the cow provides. And another cow won’t simply take in the orphaned calf, either. Due to the calf’s unique smells and other cues, cow elk will not recognize the offspring of other cows as their own.
After birth, calves are usually strong enough to stand and walk, but it takes them a few weeks to gain the necessary strength and agility to keep up with the herd. During that time, cows often hide their calves in places to avoid detection by predators, like tucked in tall grasses in a meadow, where its spotted coat blends in and it gives off little scent. A cow’s large size also helps it ward off predators that come too close andthreaten its calf.
If orphaned, a calf may survive predators for a while, but with time it will likely succumb to a lack of nourishment. Through nursing, a well-fed calf will gain about 1 pound of weight per day to soon give it the energy and strength to join the herd, where the extra sets of eyes increase the odds of a calf’s survival.
