My student Lin Gresser sent me this photo of Jake, her yellow Lab puppy. Over the winter he's made friends with this elk...through the windowpane. Lin and her husband actually feed this gal handfuls of corn through the open window.
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Being ever the wildlife biologist AND a dog lover, I have to do the standard "wag of the finger" and say shame on Lin for both for letting the elk "befriend" a dog and for feeding it. Feeding wildlife prevents them from being naturally afraid of dogs and people, and it is a disaster waiting to happen when it comes upon someone elses house and dog that won't feed it. Plus, inviting deer and elk into your yard also invites the mountain lions to come feed on them, especially during winter months. Hate to be a 'negative nellie" but the wildlife biologist in me couldn't pass up the, admittedly, very cute picture without commenting!
Kim, I couldn't agree with you more. At least it's a cute picture from which we can learn something!
In my defense there is a window between Jake and the Elk, if Jake were outside by the Elk he would have been in real danger. We naturally have a herd of 20-25 Elk that come in and out of our property throughout the winter and believe me there is nothing tame about them. You see this land was their property long before we purchased it. We humans have encroached on land that belonged to them. Yes we have mountain lions and thanks to biologist introducing the wolves we are now trying to cope with a reduced deer and elk herd in Western Montana because of the number of wolves. Try taking a walk with your dog, you better have a gun to protect you and your dog from wolves, now thats a disaster waiting to happen. Do Not under estimate how smart a wild elk or deer are, ask any hunter. Why are they still feeding the massive elk herd in Jackson Wyoming?
Happiness is a Yellow Lab named Jake!!!!!!
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