Wildlife Officers Free Distressed Elk That Got A Childs Swing Stuck To Its Head Like A Muzzle

James King 26/10/2021 Child, Elk, officers, swing, Wildlife

This young elk was saved by wildlife officers after it somehow got a child’s wing wrapped tightly around its head like a muzzle leaving it unable to eat or drink.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) said in a statement that two and a half-year-old bull elk (Cervus canadensis) was first sighted near the Evergreen Golf Course in Jefferson County, Colorado on Saturday, 23rd October.

As seen in the footage the distressed elk was charging up and down a hill with the swing wrapped around its head.

The elk with the swing set on his face in Colorado, USA. (@CPW_NE/Newsflash)

The locals who spotted the elk contacted the CPW, who sent officers out to tranquilise the animal.

The animal was constantly on the move and CPW officers caught up with it at Indian Hills off of Parmalee Gulch Road.

The officers successfully tranquilised the animal and removed the swing muzzle from its head.

CPW said in the statement: “This bull had a set of non-typical antlers, which most often happens when the pedicle or base where the antlers grow to get damaged at an early age.

“If a bull has a damaged pedicle, the animal will likely have nontypical antlers every year.”

After the tranquillizer wore off the elk quickly got back on its feet and walked away as can be seen in the footage.

The elk did not appear to be in a rush to get away and seemed to be a little drowsy after the tranquilisers as it wanders away into the woods.

The elk, also known as the ‘wapiti’, is one of the largest species within the deer family and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in North America, Eastern and Central Asia.

They tend to inhabit forests and forest-edge habitats where they feed on plants, leaves and grass. Male elks, like the one seen in the footage, have large antlers that they shed once per year.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the elk as a ‘least-concern species’ as they are currently very abundant in the wild.

CPW took the opportunity to remind residents to remove items from their gardens that count entangle big-game animals.

They added: “Wildlife has been hung up in hammocks, soccer goals, volleyball nets, holiday lights, lawn chairs, tires, laundry baskets, low-hanging wires, tomato cages, plastic fencing, etc.”