Trail Cam Catches Cougar Stalking an Elk and Calf
Mothers in the wild with calves stuck by their sides have more to worry about than their own safety. They have to worry about the safety of their calf, too. We see amazing trail camera footage of a mother elk who would be willing to risk it all for the life of her calf if need be. Let’s see what happens!
Cougar Sighting in Idaho
The next TikTok video posted at the bottom of this blog post takes us to the great state of Idaho. The Trail Cam Nut TikTok page shared this video. This channel is dedicated to providing authentic wildlife footage from the trail cameras they have set up in various places around Idaho.
“Cow elk and its newborn calf are trying to get away from this mountain lion. With a calf that small I fear the lion probably got what it was after.”
Cougar Vs. Cow Elk and Calf
©Karlie Butler/Shutterstock.com
At the start of this video posted at the end, we see a cow elk that is with her calf. According to the Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “Female elk, known as cows, weigh between 500 and 600 pounds and stand an average of 4.5 feet at shoulder height.”
The mother of this young calf elk knows that danger is near. Notice that way she stops at three seconds and turns behind her. We see that her attention is not directed toward her calf. Rather, she is looking beyond her calf to whatever she feels is behind them.
And sure enough, this mother’s intuition is correct. Because according to the trail cam footage, just a mere three minutes later, we see a cougar pass by. Notice that the cougar is not running at full speed. Or even walk fast at all. He is taking his time to do this hunt. Also, notice that this cougar is not directly behind this elk and her calf either. He is three whole minutes behind them.
This cougar is smart enough to know that rushing in on an elk is not smart. Add the calf to the equation, and it really would be stupid if he tried to rush in. So, instead, he is biding his time and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
What Do Cougars Eat?
Cougars (Felis concolor) of the family Felidae can be found exclusively in North America. Cougars can run up to fast speeds of 30 miles per hour. Making them the perfect predators to catch various prey. As carnivores, cougars will eat prey such as deer, beavers, and elk.
According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, an adult cougar’s favorite prey is the deer.
