By Scout Nelson
Elk, once nearly gone from the Northern Great Plains, has made a strong return to Nebraska since the 1960s. Today, they occupy much of the state’s western region. With growing elk numbers and rising interactions between elk and agricultural land, a new study set out to understand these animals better.
Researchers from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission began a detailed study in 2022 to monitor elk behavior and population trends. The team recently published their early findings in the journal Biological Conservation.
“Not much is known about elk in Nebraska, which was a big motivation for our study,” said Tabitha Hughes, lead author and doctoral student. “The better we understand these animals, the better equipped wildlife biologists will be to manage elk populations for the public to enjoy while also mitigating crop depredation.”
Elk have been widely studied in mountainous and coastal areas, but little research has focused on prairie-agricultural settings like Nebraska. This research helps fill those gaps using advanced tracking technology.
To study elk movement, scientists used helicopters to locate and fit GPS collars on more than 200 elk throughout Nebraska. These collars transmit highly accurate location data to researchers through satellites.
“We captured elk in many wild places, including the forested canyons of the Pine Ridge and the wide open spaces of the Sandhills,” said John Benson, project leader and associate professor. “We also caught a few elk in areas with vast stretches of crop fields in every direction and very little natural habitat. Studying elk in the highly variable landscapes across Nebraska highlights just how adaptable these animals are.”
This research supports better wildlife management decisions, helping protect crops while maintaining healthy elk populations across Nebraska’s farmlands and wild spaces.
Photo Credit:istock-alenamozhjer
Categories: Nebraska, General