🌅 Elk Are the Most Dangerous Animal in National Parks

SOURCE

Landles & Balakrishna (2026)

WHAT TO KNOW

• Campers commonly pack bear spray before pitching camp, however, a new study by researchers at the University of York in the U.K. suggests a much more common and far less feared animal actually poses the highest risk: elk. After analyzing nearly 3,000 human-wildlife conflicts recorded by Parks Canada between 2010 and 2023, the researchers found elk were involved in more than half (62%) of all aggressive encounters, followed by grizzly bears (14%) in a distant second, then black bears (13%), mule deer (7%), and coyotes (3%). The authors say the findings should help park managers focus safety resources, signage, and education where they’re needed most.

WHY IT MATTERS

• The analysis found human-wildlife conflicts rarely involved adventure sports (4% of all incidents), like kayaking or rock climbing, while low-impact activities (25%), like hiking and wildlife observation, and townsite activities (22%), like golf and playground visits, posed the highest risk. The analysis also revealed specific high-risk animal-activity combinations to be aware of, like elk at townsites (73% of all townsite incidents involved elk) and grizzly and black bears encountered during quiet hikes in forested areas (45% of all such encounters involved grizzlies, while 43% involved black bears). Mule deer and coyotes also showed higher rates of aggression around domestic pets, such as when people walked their dogs.

CONNECT THE DOTS

• Research shows human-wildlife conflict is increasing globally, driven primarily by habitat loss and climate change pushing humans and animals into closer proximity. Experts say aggressive incidents between animals and humans at national parks have become a particularly tough challenge for conservation in recent years, especially since animals involved in such incidents are often killed. In the U.S., conservationists have their work cut out for them: In 2025, the U.S. National Park Service recorded more than 323 million visits systemwide (down from a record-high 331.9 million in 2024).