HARRISBURG, Pa., - Pennsylvania Game Commission officials recently reported that there have been four cases involving elk that have died of rumen acidosis, which is directly related to artificial feeding that causes an abrupt change in an elk's diet that wreaks havoc with its digestive system. Feeding elk is illegal, as it causes problems by habituating elk to find food around homes and can be dangerous to those who attempt to feed elk by hand.
"So far, we have been able to document four cases of such deaths," said Dr. Walter Cottrell, Game Commission wildlife veterinarian. "There have been other deaths that we believed may have been caused by such feeding, but, in those cases the animal was either decomposed or other circumstances prevented it from obtaining the carcass in time for laboratory analysis to take place."
Dr. Cottrell explained that elk, as well as white-tailed deer, adapt to a winter diet of primarily woody vegetation and they will die of acidosis caused by a build up of lactic acid in the rumen, chambers of its four-part stomach that is responsible for fermentation of food. If they consume too much high-fermentable grain, such as corn, which is the most common artificial feed put out by local residents, the pH level falls quickly and a shock-like syndrome can occur.
Local residents have been issued citations for the illegal feeding. In one case, an elk was found lying dead on a pile of corn. In another case, a resident dragged the carcass of a dead elk into the woods in an attempt to conceal the situation.
"We need to have local residents and district justices understand that the well-intentioned individuals are actually killing elk," Dr. Cottrell said. "For those who truly enjoy seeing elk it is best for them to stop artificially feeding elk and other wildlife. It would be far more beneficial if they were to implement some form of habitat improvement producing cover to reduce weather-related stress or food in the form of digestible native plants on their property."
For more information on the problems associated with feeding deer and elk, please visit the Game Commission's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), click on "Wildlife" in the left-hand column, scroll down and choose "Please, Don't Feed the Deer."
Game Commission Says Litter Causing Risk To Wildlife
Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officers have been encountering more problems involving trash and wildlife, and are encouraging Pennsylvanians to be more thoughtful about disposing of their trash properly.
"Each year, wildlife rehabilitators are presented with wildlife, especially water birds, entangled in discarded fishing line, or skunks or raccoons with plastic containers stuck on their heads," said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. "Such refuse can prove problematic or deadly for wildlife, and we are encouraging all Pennsylvanians and visitors to Pennsylvania to make sure they 'trash their trash.'"
Earlier this year, a young male, white-tailed deer in Cumberland County was found dead with a clear, plastic jug over its head that once likely held pretzels or pickles. A resident that reported finding the dead deer on his property noted that it appeared that the animal had suffered from dehydration and malnutrition, but was able to breathe.
"No one was able to capture the deer or get close enough to it to help it, as it was able to see through the plastic jug and would run off whenever it was approached by people," the resident told agency officials. "However, I found the deer on my property once it died from a lack of food and water."
It appeared that the young deer, which had just begun to grow antlers, had put its head in the jar to get at the salt or brine that remained in the jug. However, once it got its head in the jug, it was unable to pull it back out as the antler had lodged against the inside of the jar.
More recently, in late July, Game Commission WCOs were made aware of a black bear in Wayne County that also had a jug stuck on its head.
"The bear was first seen around Camp Wayne for Girls in Preston Park on July 25," said WCO Jim McCarthy. "Many people thought it would just free itself, but they saw it again on July 27, and it still had the jug on its head. I received a call for help that day from staff at the camp.
Due to the nature of the call, WCO McCarthy requested a bear trap to take to camp. It was reported that the bear had been wandering around the camp and was making loud noises as it tried to breathe, and temperatures were in the 80's.
"When I arrived at the camp, I was taken to the dumpsters, where the bear reportedly was still coming in to even though it couldn't eat," WCO McCarthy said. "I set the trap next to a dumpster and returned the following morning at 5 a.m. to sit and wait with a dart gun in case the bear came back to the dumpster area and did not go into the trap.
"When I got there, a bear was in the trap, but it was the wrong bear. I waited until 8:30 a.m., but the bear with the jug on its head didn't show. I processed the captured bear, and reset the trap."
A little later that day, around 2:30 p.m., the bear with the jug was captured in the trap.
"When I arrived, the bear was making very loud gasping sounds that could be heard before we reached the trap," WCO McCarthy said. "I looked in a hole in the trap and there was a bear with a pretzel bucket stuck on its head. I quickly injected it with a tranquilizer dart, which took effect in about three minutes.
"Once the bear was removed from the trap, I tried to pull off the bucket, but was unable to. I got my tin snips out of the truck and had to cut through the rim of the pretzel bucket to get it off. Almost immediately you could hear an improvement in the bears breathing, it was almost like it let out a big sigh. I poured water over the bear to cool it down."
The bear turned out to be a 90-pound female cub. It had a noticeable ring around her neck where the bucket was.
"Once I administered the reversal drug, she woke up, but was apparently exhausted, and took about an hour to gain enough strength to run off into the woods," WCO McCarthy said. "The bucket was on the bear for at least four days that we know of. The bucket had two small punctures in the end, and that was all. I don't know how she found the trap, let alone went into the trap with that bucket on its head, but we certainly are glad she did."
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