In the second story in as many weeks involving a rutting bull elk and innocent bystanders has surfaced, this time out of Estes Park, Colorado.
The western town, known for it’s booming population of elk who often roam the town’s streets made headlines last week after reports surfaced of an aggressive bull attacking a pair of women on Thursday.
As blood-curdling screams were heard, officials scrambled to treat the injured women, gored from the attack, and search for the animal, previously known for his temperamental behavior.
According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife representatives, the animal was eventually located and shot by officers following the encounter.
“There was elk feeding off the trees right next to the ambulance,” visitor Mike Anderson told CBS4. “And then, I hear a gunshot.”
While officials did note that the ear-tagged elk did have a history of encounters with residents and visitors, many clamoured that officials did not do enough research to determine whether or not the animal was provoked.
In many cases, humans find themselves approaching wild animals such as elk at vulnerable times of the year such as the breeding season. Unfortunately, these animals have the tendency to act aggressively to those deemed to be threatening their harem of cows.