Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Wyoming
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Two major factors may be poised to affect elk populations in northwestern states and provinces in the future--climate change and restoration of native carnivores. To address these 2 issues with new research would be financially daunting and require many years to complete. A wealth of information, however, exists that can address these 2 challenges sit in offices, file cabinets, and notebooks across the western states. Since the early 1980's to today, literally thousands of adult elk have been radiocollared in more than 50 studies where their survival and causes of death were recorded. Analysis of data on survival and causes of death of these animals can provide complelling information on what the future may hold for elk populations.