elk at cataloochee valley

Elk Herd Continues to Draw Visitors to Cataloochee Valley

On a recent May morning, Joe Yarkovich waded into the tall grass in a field in the Cataloochee Valley of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A wildlife biologist with the National Park Service, he was there to examine and collar a day-old 45-pound baby elk — the newest addition to a herd attracting thousand of visitors to this quiet, secluded valley.

To protect themselves from predators, the calves hide in the tall grass fields of the valley, staying motionless while their mothers feed. But once Yarkovich and his staff saw the spotted-and-scentless calf, they worked quickly, collaring it with a tracking device before his protective mother returned.

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