Elk rescued after getting tangled in telephone wire, wrapped around tree and pole in central Pennsylvania
SINNEMAHONING, Pa. (KDKA) -- An elk was rescued after it got tangled in a telephone wire and wrapped around a pine tree in central Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission said the 6x6 bull elk became snarled with a telecommunication wire and stuck around a pine tree and telephone pole on Tuesday in Sinnemahoning, Cameron County.
The Game Commission said the bull was sedated and its vitals were monitored while its rescuers, which included a game warden and elk biologist, cut the wire free from its antlers.
While it was sedated, it was also fitted with a GPS collar to monitor its future movements and make sure it stays healthy after the stressful event. Since it's currently elk archery season, the bull received numbered ear tags and "do not eat" ear tags.
After all that, the bull was given a reversal drug and walked away uninjured, the Game Commission said.
An elk entangled in a telephone wire was freed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission on Tuesday, Sept. 26. A 6x6 bull elk...
Posted by Pennsylvania Game Commission on Wednesday, September 27, 2023
"It's not uncommon for elk to become entangled in loose items, especially this time of year. Severe cases like this would ultimately end in an agonizing death for the animal without intervention," the Game Commission wrote on Facebook.
Campers and property owners in the elk range are encouraged to remove any old wire fencing and secure other loose hanging objects like rope swings and outdoor decorative lighting.
According to the Game Commission, before settlers arrived in Pennsylvania, elk lived throughout the state. By 1867, the species had been extirpated and ultimately became extinct throughout its range, which included New York and New England. The Game Commission released elk between 1913 and 1926, and now the animal can be found in Elk, Cameron, Clinton, Clearfield and Potter counties.
"THANK YOU to everyone who reported this bull to the Game Commission and to everyone who helped safely free it from the wire," the Game Commission wrote.
Anyone who sees wildlife that needs help is asked to call 1-833-742-9453.