Century of Elk Restoration in Eastern North America

• Published in: Restoration ecology Vol. 22; no. 6; pp. 723 - 730
• Main Authors: Popp, Jesse N, Toman, Tom, Mallory, Frank F, Hamr, Josef
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Wiley Periodicals, Inc 01.11.2014; Wiley; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal populations; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Cervus elaphus; Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife; Demecology; Elk; elks; Endangered & extinct species; Environmental degradation: ecosystems survey and restoration; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; management; mortality; population growth rates; population size; reintroduction; restoration success; Wildlife conservation; Wildlife management; North America; America; Population growth; population growth rates; Growth rate; Mortality; restoration success; Reintroduction; Vertebrata; Mammalia; management; Cervus elaphus; Ecological recovery; Artiodactyla; Ungulata
• ISSN: 1061-2971; 1526-100X
• DOI: 10.1111/rec.12150

Over a century has passed since elk were extirpated in eastern North America. During that time, numerous attempts to reintroduce elk into eastern North America have resulted in varying degrees of success and failure. An overview of restoration efforts during the last 100 years is presented here with emphasis on the differences in rates of population change among regions and differences in major causes of elk mortality during both the pre‐ and post‐acclimation periods. Approximately 40% of recorded elk reintroduction attempts in eastern North America resulted in failure with the majority of these having occurred in the first half of the 20th century. Although rates of population change in elk were highly variable, they were not related to founding population size. Major causes of mortality varied among regions and should be considered in future reintroduction attempts.