Elk Calving Season Videos

Elk Calving Season Videos
Wildlife in Nature..

Wildlife On Video Channel

Newborn Elk Calf following Mum to Safety

Our first sighting of a newborn elk calf following Mum to safety this year. Like deer, newborn Elk Calves are spotted and have no scent. Elk calves will lie motionless in the grass for safety, and are very difficult to see when doing so often even in open areas. Elk calves usually lose their spots by September. Elk calves typically are ready to rejoin the herd with their mother after two weeks. At about six months, a young elk calf will be about the size of a full-grown Whitetail deer.

Elk with Newborn Calf by Athabasca River

A newborn elk calf can stand after the first 20 minutes of life, but it can not run fast or for long periods of time. At birth, an elk calf weighs about 35 pounds, gaining up to two pounds a day for the first few weeks. Mother elk can weigh more than 500 pounds. A newborn Elk calf's fur is dotted with cream-colored spots. For the first few weeks, the mother Elk will usually hide her calf in thick brush and graze at a distance so she won't draw attention to its presence. In this instance, this mother Elk has had her calf on a very small island on Athabasca River. As seen here, she chooses to use the Athabasca River to her advantage as she pretends to cross, but actually does a semi-circle, staying nearby to protect her calf.

Newborn Elk Calf in Canada's Rockies

Elk Calves in Canada's Rockies are typically born weighing about 35 pounds, being spotted and scentless. These adaptations help camouflage the calf as it lies motionless in the grass. Elk Cows usually give birth from late May to mid June.

Newborn Elk Calves with Babysitters and Mothers in Canada's Rockies

Newborn Elk Calves with Babysitters and Mothers in Canada's Rockies (2018). Newborn Calves are about 35 pounds at Birth. Elk Calves are typically born in late May through June; spotted and virtually scentless as camouflage from predators. Elk calves first few weeks are spent hiding motionless in forest cover during times when their mothers feed.