This newborn elk calf was welcomed into the world with some wobbly first steps in Estes Park, Colorado.
In case you didn’t know, Estes Park is considered to be the “Elk Capital of the World.” It’s estimated that over 280,000 elk live in Colorado, which is enough to give the state the honor of housing the largest concentrated population of elk in the world. That many elk in one spot brings tourists from all over the planet, particularly to the Estes Park area.
Seeing an elk there is a practical guarantee when you visit, and if you are lucky, you might even get to see a newborn elk calf.
Elk calves are typically born in May and June, around 8 or so months after the annual September rut when bull elk become aggressive and show off for their female counterparts. However, this video of a newborn calf, which was captured by Thona Meng, was posted earlier this week. So either they sat on the video for a while before they shared it, or this baby elk was born a bit later than usual.
Regardless, the stunning video shows the small creature taking its first, unsteady steps… and that’s truly a sight to see. Elk calves are usually born weighing 30 to 35 pounds (remember that female elk weigh in around 500 to 600 pounds), and interestingly, they take their first steps within 20 to 30 minutes after they’re born.
Well, 20 to 30 minutes post birth is actually when they are able to stand for the first time. But in a matter of hours, the elk calves are able to walk. As you can see in this video below, that walking doesn’t always look pretty. Though they aren’t sure footed by any means during their first couple of hours on Earth, it’s still fascinating to know that they’re able to walk just a short time after being born.
You can take a look at how this one fared with its first steps below. It’s a good thing its mom was there to help with very understandable balance issues:
“Newborn Elk Calf Takes Her First Wobbly Steps in Estes Park, Colorado Wildlife Moment.”
What a beautiful moment, eh?
That’s one small step for the baby calf, and one giant leap towards becoming a fully grown elk itself. A calf’s first couple of days and weeks are rather stationary. It’s after a month or so when the younglings are able to really get the hang of walking, and even start grazing alongside their mother.
Elk calves typically spend a year or so with their mom before they become comfortable enough to live life on their own. And if a young elk does make it through the first year of its life, that’s generally a great sign that it’s built to last (that’s often the hardest year of an elk’s life with avoiding predators and making it through the winter, among other things).
We humans always say life moves quickly. Think about how an elk must feel? They are walking within the first couple of hours of… being alive.
