Wildlife officials find baby elk left on doorstep

[June 02, 2010]  LA GRANDE, Ore. (AP) -- Congratulations, wildlife officials! It's a baby elk.

Officials at a U.S. Forest Service office in La Grande, Ore., last week found a baby elk left on their doorstep along Highway 30. It was dropped off Wednesday night and is estimated to be less than two weeks old.

Officials are seeking the person who brought in the baby elk to find out where they originally found it, so that it can be returned to its mother.

They say the baby elk probably was not abandoned, because mother elk regularly leave their babies hiding in tall grass or brush while they divert a threat, such as a coyote, and then return to their young. Officials believe the person who found the baby likely thought the animal was lost and needed to be saved.

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Information from: The (La Grande) Observer, http://www.lagrandeobserver.com/

[Associated Press]

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