Alberta government officials have shot and killed 20 elk they believe were released from a northeastern Alberta game farm into the wild because of a lack of feed and few markets.
“We would guess that the person had in all likelihood run out of options,” said Doug Milligan, director of Alberta Agriculture’s livestock industry development division, who is investigating the finding of the farmed animals in the wild in the Marwayne and Kitscoty areas.
“The elk were not in very good condition,” said Milligan.
Neighbours reported the yearling animals wandering in an area not typical for elk. He said the animals were relatively quiet and it looked as though ear tags had been cut from their ears.
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Alberta Sustainable Resource Development officers shot and killed the animals that were in two groups: a group of eight and a group of 12.
“We’re not aware there’s any more,” said Milligan, but they haven’t been able to talk to the person they believe is the owner. He expects it will be at least another week before government officials get the proper court documents to go onto the farm and take an official count of the animals.
Under the Livestock Industry Diversification Act, it is illegal for producers to release farmed animals into the wild. Producers can be fined up to $10,000.
Milligan said after the animals were shot, their heads were tested for chronic wasting disease and the rest of the bodies were buried.
“There was not enough flesh or finish to salvage them,” he said.
Animals from the first group of eight animals have all tested negative for CWD. The results from the second group of animals have not been completed. There is no CWD connected with this farm, he said.
“It’s the first we’ve cottoned on to some animals being released,” said Milligan, who added elk producers have been under financial pressure from collapsed markets since the discovery of CWD in some farmed deer and elk.
“It’s a situation that arose last fall where producers had no markets and no feed,” he said.
Glenda Elkow, president of the Alberta Elk Association, said there is no proof these animals were deliberately released and hadn’t simply escaped from their enclosure.
“Until someone lays charges, it’s a little premature to suggest there was a deliberate release,” she said.
Releasing the animals isn’t the only option for producers who can’t sell their animals, she said. Animals can be slaughtered or other producers are willing to take the animals.
