Authorities Seek Public’s Help After 4 Elk Killed in Redwood National Park
Rangers from Redwood National and State Parks and wardens from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are asking for the public’s assistance in investigating a recent elk poaching incident.
On July 21, officials were alerted to four elk that had been shot and killed near the Williams Ridge area along Bald Hills Road. The investigation revealed that the elk were killed within the boundaries of Redwood National Park, where hunting is strictly prohibited by both federal and state law.
Disturbingly, none of the meat was taken from the elk, and officers discovered that lead shot was used in the killings.
Lead poisoning, resulting from the ingestion of lead ammunition, poses a significant threat to free-flying California condors. The Yurok Tribe, in collaboration with Redwood National and State Parks and other agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Parks and Recreation, reintroduced California condors to the region two years ago. The recent poaching incident poses a grave danger to these birds.
The Roosevelt elk, the largest of the six recognized subspecies of elk in North America, once ranged from southern British Columbia to Sonoma County, California. Today, they persist only in Humboldt, Del Norte, and western Siskiyou Counties. Redwood National and State Parks, encompassing 133,000 acres of federal and state land, is home to seven elk herds. The park is a popular destination for tourists and Californians, offering the rare opportunity to observe Roosevelt elk within their historical home range.
Park rangers are dedicated to protecting these magnificent animals and are urging the public to assist in this effort. Anyone with information about the elk poaching incident is encouraged to call 707-465-7751. For those wishing to remain anonymous, they can contact CDFW’s CalTip line at 1-888-334-CalTIP (888-334-2258) or the park’s anonymous crime tip line at 707-765-7353.
