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Image courtesy of Jim Gonzales/Vail Daily We came across this excellent article in the Vail Daily about Eagle County’s declining elk population, the reasons, and what can be done. This article is both scientifically accurate and directly relevant to the elk population in Routt and Moffat counties. We highly recommend giving it a read, link here. We’ll publish a few tidbits from the article: “In 1995, the elk population in the Colorado Parks and Wildlife data analysis unit that includes Eagle County contained just under 15,000 individuals. In 2015, the elk population was 6,400. Currently, Colorado Parks and Wildlife manages within Eagle County for an elk population of between 5,500 to 8,500. In 2018, the Vail Daily reported that Eagle County had seen a 50% decline in its elk population.” ”Development causes direct impacts on elk by permanently changing the landscape on which elk live, fragmenting and destroying elk habitat. Recreation has indirect impacts on elk, including carving up elk habitat with trails, decreasing calf survival rates due to maternal stress and lack of nutrients, and physically displacing elk from land they formerly inhabited.” ““You could look at a lot of places within the Holy Cross in particular, that are high Alpine tundra environments where you have all the necessary qualities to be very productive elk habitat summer range, and now you just don’t see them there because they’ve been replaced by human presence,” [CPW District Wildlife Manager Devon] Duval said.“ “Historically speaking, there’s still a heavy focus on protection of winter range, and the quantity and quality of that winter range, and that hasn’t changed. That’s still super critical. And then that lends into calving season. But there’s also a growing body of evidence that suggests that the summer and fall are just as important.” “Getting involved with land use discussions is another way to stand up for wildlife. As development — both of trails and buildings — proceeds in the county, think critically about the impact it will have on wildlife, and voice an opinion as meetings are held.” We find the same combinations of factors threatening our own local Bears Ears elk herd. It’s a key reason we’ve pointed out the issues with elk calving areas and elk summer range impacted by the Mad Rabbit Trails Project. The declining elk population in Eagle County should serve as a precautionary tale, not an instruction manual. Read the whole article. We gave an update on Mad Rabbit in our previous newsletter here.
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