Spreading feed can spread disease.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission wants to remind people living in and visiting the elk range that feeding elk is illegal.
Each year, Wildlife Conservation Officers encounter individuals illegally feeding elk. In most cases, they believe feeding the elk will help them, and don’t realize their actions could harm the elk or even kill them.
Artificial feeding of elk can lead to rumen acidosis, which is a known source of mortality in wild elk.
Elk are ruminants, or cud-chewers. And their rumens, or paunches, contain certain microorganisms, such as bacteria and protozoa, required to digest their natural diet.
This post was imported from a legacy archive. Please excuse any formatting inconsistencies.