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Environmental Issues in Northern Ontario
Elk Restoration in Ontario
Elk Post Release Information
Before releasing the elk into the wild, most
elk are fitted with radio-collars that allow for the monitoring of
individual animals. The information obtained through radio-tracking
helps determine the post-release movements and survival.
Some research and monitoring results:
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Over 80% of adult cows give birth to calves
in their new home.
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While some animals have wandered up to 160
km, most stay within 20 km of their release site.
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The length of the holding period and the
type of habitat at the release site seem to influence post-release
dispersion and survival. A "hard" release was tried, with the animals
being let free immediately, or within a few days, upon arrival. "Soft"
releases were used afterwards, where the animals were kept in a large
enclosure for some weeks to allow them to adjust to their current
surroundings before release. This method is very labour and time
intensive, as very large enclosures must be built ahead of time, and
the animals must be "babysat" around the clock until their release. It
is my understanding that the elk do better, with many more calves
surviving, with a soft release and therefore this method was
continued.
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Causes of elk mortality include post-release
stress, wolf and bear predation, collisions with trains/ other
vehicles (12 were killed in 1997 on train tracks), drowning by falling
through the ice in winter, and poaching.
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Some nuisance elk situations have occurred
in agricultural areas.
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To date there has been no evidence of elk
congregating in major deer yards.
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Elk introduced to areas with high deer
densities and the proximity of agriculture (Bancroft/North Hastings,
Lake Huron North Shore), survive and reproduce better than elk
introduced to predominantly moose range with little agricultural
activity (Lake of The Woods, Nipissing/French River).
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