This looks like some nonsense you’d see out of a horror film.
Imagine hiking through the woods, taking in the peacefulness and scenery, when all of a sudden an elk appears with an antler sticking out from its forehead? I would have to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t in the twilight zone. You would never think a creature like this would exist, but believe it or not, there’s at least one in the United States.
According to KIRO7, an elk with an antler sticking out straight from its forehead was discovered on a trail cam in Tampico, Washington. Kyle Garrison, a representative with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, told the outlet that the antler is an uncommon abnormality, and a naturally occurring phenomenon. He also admitted that this is a first for him.
The rogue antler could be a result of injury either directly to the antler, or an injury early on in the elk’s life that would stunt antler development, or it’s just plain old obscure genetics. Hormones could also be a result of something like this as well.
Garrison admits that for this specific elk, it appears to be all genetic. He also noted that the antler is more than likely not causing the elk any harm, but may hurt its ability to feed, and its ability to reproduce.
He added that the pedicle, where the antler grows from, is in an unusual spot, meaning that once the elk sheds the antler, a new one will more than likely regrow in the exact same place.
Pretty wild.
