The Eastern Elk

“By the late 1400s elk were the most widespread hoofed animal in the New World and could be found throughout most of North America. Eastern elk inhabited the vast forests of eastern Canada and the eastern United States as far west as the Mississippi River. As people continued to settle in the region over the next few centuries elk populations decreased due to over-hunting and the loss of their dense woodland habitat. Naturalist John James Audubon reportedly mentioned that by 1851 a few elk could still be found in the Alleghany Mountains but that they were virtually gone from the remainder of their range. By the end of the nineteenth century the Eastern elk was completely extinct.”

- US Fish & Wildlife Service

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Give elk space. Never approach or feed them, and slow down when driving through elk range to prevent collisions and stress.

• Choose FSC-certified wood and paper. This reduces pressure on the forests and grasslands that elk—especially the reintroduced Rocky Mountain Elk—depend on.

• Support healthy corridors and open space. Back local parks and land-preservation efforts that reduce fencing barriers and keep landscapes connected.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND HOW TO HELP

Visit:

• Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative https://y2y.net/

• National Parks Conservation Association https://www.npca.org/parks/yellowstone-national-park

• National Wildlife Federation (NWF) https://www.nwf.org/Our-Work/Habitats/Wildlife-Corridors