Elk and Lichen

[Dan Morris]

Noticed a deal on Denver news from Wyoming DOW. Getting a few deaths in the Red Rim area...SW of Rawlings from Elk eating a rare Lichen...doesn't appear to affect Antelope. Sonny, you have any details on this?
Dan

[Larryjk]

I live in Rawlins. This happened about three years ago. At that time, several hundred head died from this cause. There has been a lot of research, but so far they don't know what the active ingrediant is that affects their muscles. This latest outbreak was just a few head, furtunately. The WG&FD has not come up with an antidote. They have had the vets working on it for a long time.
Once the animals go down, they don't recover.

[Dan Morris]

Larry, my uptake is these are new cases....but you know the media......they mentioned the one three years ago, this is allegedly fresh.
Dan

[Larryjk]

Dan, These are new cases; less than 10 so far. We have been having some reasonable winter weather now and the snow is melting down, which should give the elk access to the grass and brush; they shouldn't have to eat lichen from the rocks. That is what it takes to get away from this problem.
The 300 + or - cases is from three years ago. It would also help if the guys hunting coyotes on snow machines would stay away from this area. They put additional stress on the elk, which requires the elk to seek more food.
I used to work in Middle and North Park. How are the elk doing in those areas? The elk usually do ok but the deer in Middle Park have a hard time in a long and persistent winter. I was there in 64-65 when about 20,000 winter killed. They migrate down to the Kremmling basin from way up to Frazier and then they are trapped because they can't filter down through Gore Canyon.

[Dan Morris]

Appreciate the feedback!
Dan

[Larryjk]

:( DanMorris, Todays paper says the dead elk count this year due to lichen poisoning is now 10. The WGFD is planning to lay a trail of hay to a different area of the winter range where lichen shouldn't be a problem. It is either done or being done.

[Larryjk]

Dan Morris, The final tally on dead elk in the Red Rim area is 80.
They have migrated back southeast and are out of the area where they can get a belly full on lichen. Too bad.

[Dan Morris]

The waste is sad, mother nature works in strange ways! THanks
for the uodate!!
Dan
:(