ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK, Colo. (AP) — Sharpshooters will start killing elk in the next few weeks to thin the herd in Rocky Mountain National Park.
The reduction is the result of a decade of research and development of a management plan to cut the number of elk in the park about 70 miles northwest of Denver. Park officials want to thin the herd because overgrazing by elk has nearly wiped out aspens and willows, prime habitat for beavers and birds.
There are about 600 to 800 elk in the park and 1,000 to 1,300 elk in and around the neighboring town of Estes Park.
Two teams of sharpshooters will soon begin culling up to 100 cow elk in the park.
Environmentalists have filed a lawsuit saying that releasing wolves to prey on elk is a better solution.Â
Sharpshooters prepare to cull RMNP’s elk herd
Monday, January 26, 2009 around 11 am mountain time
Have your say
XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
No comments
Jump to comment form | Comments RSS | Trackback URI