Newborn Elk
I stumbled upon this little guy, lying motionless near the top of a mountain at 9,000 feet. There was a large herd of more than 100 elk in the valley below. But I wasn't expecting to find this baby elk bedded down until I nearly stepped on it. As snow melts in the spring elk migrate to higher elevations, where cows typically give birth at the end of May. The calves weigh about 35 lbs and are able to stand up within minutes of being born. They are kept hidden away for their first couple of weeks before later rejoining the herd. It was soon apparent where the mother was, as I heard her barking at me from down below. After I left she came back to retrieve her baby.
- Copyright
- Kevin Palmer
- Image Size
- 6016x4016 / 15.9MB
- Keywords
- Contained in galleries
- Recent Work, Wyoming, Wildlife