Avid wildlife photographer Rod Young has a keen eye for his subjects, especially bull elk in Prince Albert National Park.
In early October, he noticed that one of the moose was in distress.
“This particular bull, he was hanging around there for quite a while, so I photographed him two or three times. And that day he was actually suspended on some kind of net or cargo net. It could have been someone's hammock,” Young said.
He took a couple of photos and a short video of the animal, and then immediately reported the moose entanglement to Parks Canada staff.
“I don’t actually know what it was, but he was really confused, pretty stressed, very tired and obviously very angry and annoyed, to say the least,” Young said.
According to acting resource conservation manager Tom Perry, Parks Canada resource conservation officers caught up with the moose on Wilderness Road, where they were able to inject a tranquilizer into the moose's hide.
“Once the elk fell and it was safe to approach, we were able to cut the net and free the elk,” Perry said.
He said the elk lay on the ground for about 40 minutes. During this time, staff monitored heart rate and vital signs. As soon as he began to come to his senses, they retreated and waited for him to get up and run away.
Perry said 10 days later, on Oct. 18, park staff had to rescue another elk that was stuck in a fence. He said their job as wildlife managers is to be able to respond to crisis situations and prevent them from occurring in the future.
“These things can be really stressful for the animal and often lead to their death,” Perry said.
He said snow fencing, ropes, garden and tree nets, trampoline nets and swing sets are just some of the materials that pose a risk to wildlife.
“We encourage people to collect these items, clean them or not use them unless necessary,” he said.
Young said he was pleased to learn that within hours of the moose being reported, the bull was released from the net.
“I've seen elk get entangled before, but not like this. This is as bad as it gets,” Young said.
Perry said the town of Waskesiu is a unique place where a herd of 60 to 80 elk often roams the town's property and can often be seen grazing at the Red Deer Campground, Waskesiu Golf Course and on the lawns of cabin owners.
“Wildlife is part of this landscape. They are part of Waskesiu,” Perry said. “We remind people that we share this space and [animals] are part of this broader community.”
He said people must learn to coexist with wildlife and give them their space. He recommends staying 30 meters, or three bus lengths, away from wildlife, including moose.
He added that the elk had just reached the end of their mating season, which typically runs from Sept. 1 to Sept. 30.
“In the fall, bull elk can be quite aggressive and dangerous…They want to keep everything away from their does,” Perry said.
He said Parks Canada encourages viewing and photographing wildlife, but advises people to stay away from wildlife.
