ESTES PARK, CO – A playground attack by an elk on a 4-year-old boy comes less than a week after a similar incident involving an 8-year-old girl in Estes Park, Colorado. On Monday afternoon, a female elk, also referred to as a cow elk, reportedly charged a young boy who was playing in a local playground.
According to Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW), two elk calves were concealed near the playground, unbeknownst to the families present. The female elk attacked the boy suddenly, trampling him multiple times before a family member managed to drive the animal away. The boy was rushed to the hospital, treated, and subsequently released.
Following the incident, the playground has been indefinitely closed, and particular segments of the Lake Estes Loop trail have been similarly sealed off. On the preceding Friday, an eight-year-old girl was set upon by a female elk while riding her bike. The elk pursued her from 60 yards away, trampling her several times before being deterred by bystanders. The young girl was hospitalized, treated, and likewise discharged on the same day.
Across both incidents, the involved adult elks were deterred from public areas with non-lethal methods, intended to frighten the animals away.
As the elk calving season continues, CPW is cautioning local residents and visitors conversant with Rocky Mountain National Park about potential elk attacks. Typically, elk calves are born from late spring through to early summer. At this time, female elks may demonstrate aggressive behavior in an attempt to protect their offspring.
The town of Estes Park advised that residents and visitors refrain from approaching wildlife closely or endangering them with vehicles, leading to widespread disturbance. The National Park Service recommends the “Rule of Thumb” for gauging safe distances from wildlife. If the observed animal is not completely covered by an extended thumb, observing with one eye closed, the observer is too close.