Elk involved in nearly two-thirds of aggressive encounters in Canadian national parks, study finds
Parks Canada data from 2010–2023 shows elk dominate wildlife conflicts across 25 national parks, far outpacing bears, coyotes and deer.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
Elk are involved in nearly two-thirds of aggressive wildlife encounters across Canada's national parks, according to a study of Parks Canada data from 2010 to 2023.
Researchers examined 25 national parks and nearly 3,000 aggressive encounters involving five animal species: elk, mule deer, coyotes, grizzly bears and black bears. Elk appeared in more than 60 per cent of all encounters—far outpacing bears, which accounted for 27 per cent. Coyotes and mule deer had the least.
The pattern intensified depending on the setting. Elk were involved in 80 per cent of campsite encounters and more than half of mountain biking incidents. They also accounted for more encounters in towns than any other animal. Eighty per cent of all encounters occurred in Banff and Jasper.
Shashank Balakrishna, one of the study authors, noted the gap in public perception. "Elk are herbivores, and so people tend to believe they aren't as aggressive as a grizzly bear," he said. "The results show people are underestimating the power of large herbivores."
Nick de Ruyter, program director at the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley, said most confrontations stem from human behaviour. "People get too close. They try to feed them. They try to take photos with them—selfies. And that leads to attacks." He advised making noise in areas with limited sightlines and maintaining healthy distance. "The wildlife are actually quite tolerant of people," de Ruyter said, "but there should be healthy fear and respect of the wildlife here, because things can go wrong."
Actually aggressive attacks made up only 1.6 per cent of encounters; most were defensive displays—stomping, bluff charges, animals chasing people—signaling humans were too close. Elk spend significant time in and around Banff's town partly to avoid predators, and those accustomed to people may appear tame.
Millions of tourists visit Banff and Jasper annually.
What specific defensive behaviour prompted the most encounters—and did any single behaviour account for the majority?
How many of these encounters resulted in actual injury to visitors?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
By the numbers
What percentage of aggressive wildlife encounters in Canadian national parks involved elk?
Elk appeared in more than 60 per cent of aggressive encounters across 25 national parks studied between 2010 and 2023.
How often were elk involved in campsite encounters?
Elk were involved in 80 per cent of aggressive campsite encounters in the national parks studied.
What share of all encounters occurred in Banff and Jasper?
Eighty per cent of all aggressive wildlife encounters took place in Banff and Jasper.
What proportion of encounters were actual attacks versus defensive displays?
Aggressive attacks made up only 1.6 per cent of encounters; most were defensive displays such as stomping, bluff charges, or animals chasing people.
