8-year-old girl attacked by elk in Estes Park

ESTES PARK, Colorado – According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), an 8-year-old girl was attacked by an elk in Estes Park Thursday afternoon.

According to the agency, the girl was riding her bike in a residential area around 1 p.m. when a female moose attacked the girl from about 180 feet away. The moose caught up with the girl and trampled on her several times, according to CPW.

The girl was taken to the hospital and released later that day.

CPW said a game warden found a female elk and a young calf in the area of ​​the attack. At that point, the elk became aggressive toward the officer, the agency said. The officer harassed the elk with a nonlethal beanbag projectile, after which the animal’s aggressive behavior subsided, according to CPW.

The officer stayed for several hours to monitor the situation, then returned to the area on Friday to take the calf to the CPW Health Lab, where it will be cared for by veterinarians and wildlife specialists.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife

CPW said its officers will harass the elk in the area “as needed” to prevent interactions with neighbors. The agency has also posted signs warning of aggressive behavior by the elk in the area. CPW said pets should always be kept on a leash to avoid conflict with the elk.

“This is an unusual and unfortunate situation where a young girl was playing outside far away from the calf and a female elk became aggressive to protect her newborn,” Jason Duetsch, wildlife manager for CPW, said in a statement. “While it is a natural response for elk to be very defensive during calving season, it is not often that they injure someone, especially a child. We are glad that the girl is recovering from her injuries and wish her continued speedy recovery.”

The calving season for the state’s elk population runs from late spring to early summer. Cow elk may display aggression toward humans and domestic animals during this time to protect their calves.

According to CPW, conflicts between female elk and moose often occur when their young are nearby. These conflicts increase once the young are standing and able to move on their own, the agency said.

CPW urges Colorado residents and visitors to leave young wildlife alone, especially during calving season.