Battle in Yellowstone: Video shows long-legged elk schooling wolves

A pack of wolves in Yellowstone National Park found themselves floundering through deep snow while hunting elk Dec. 27. The bull elk had the advantage outpacing and fending off the canines.

The video shows that elk are capable of defending themselves from wolves and avoiding the apex predator. As reported by Brett French of the Billings Gazette in June research indicates that elk don’t fear wolves as much as previously thought.

“Elk are very capable of defending themselves against wolves, even if they do encounter them,” Dan MacNulty, a Utah State University ecologist, told the Gazette. “Elk between the ages of 2 and 10 are really difficult for wolves to kill. They’re tough, and tough to bring down.”

The video was published Wednesday by ViralHog, a video distribution company.

Below is the description from the video:

“This was an amazing start to a private winter wildlife tour on Yellowstone’s Northern Range with a guiding company, Yellowstone Insight. Eleven of the Junction Pack tried to get a meal of elk for breakfast. But alas, the bull elk persevered as the snow was just too deep for the wolves. It was an amazing bit of nature and wildness that unfolded right in front of us. Wolves risk their lives to provide food for their family, with their face! And this is a typical scenario, where the pack expends a lot of energy, yet turns up empty. Elk 1, Wolves 0. Three out of four chase sequences are unsuccessful for wolves with elk. This chase sequence ended just like that, unsuccessful. The elk made it out of harm’s way on this day.”