Elk's death in Busse Woods pasture may have been caused by pneumonia
Pneumonia may have caused the death last week of an elk that had been part of the herd at Busse Woods, Forest Preserves of Cook County officials said Monday.
The 4-year-old female died March 8 within the 17-acre enclosed pasture on the northwest corner of Arlington Heights and Higgins roads near Elk Grove Village, confirmed Carl Vogel, the forest preserve district's spokesman.
It's the latest death in the herd, after three male elk died there in September 2017 and a female died in October 2020.
There's currently two bulls and two cows in the pasture, which has become an area landmark and popular attraction since the first 10 elk were delivered by train from Yellowstone National Park in 1925.
Forest preserves staff who oversee the elk pasture contacted their senior wildlife biologist last Tuesday morning when they noticed the 4-year-old female elk was sitting in the field during the daily feeding, which is not typical behavior, Vogel said.
The biologist examined the animal within the hour and went to Brookfield Zoo to get medicine that was recommended by the veterinarian on call. But when the biologist returned, the elk was dead, Vogel said.
Indications from the initial necropsy are that the elk died from pneumonia, Vogel said, though the official cause of death will be determined from a full examination by the zoologic pathology program at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. That is expected in 10 to 14 days.
The death of the elk came only four days after the herd underwent an annual checkup. Vogel said it's possible the death was associated with the animal being sedated for the exam.
"Being tranquilized is like going under anesthesia for surgery. It allows the forest preserves (staff) to assess the health of the elk, but it does come with some degree of risk," he said.
But, he noted, after the exam, the elk got up and was on its feet relatively quickly. There were no signs of negative effects from the exam at the time, he said.
The exam, conducted by the wildlife biologist and an attending veterinarian from the University of Illinois, included a physical, vaccinations, worming and blood draw.
The female elk was one of three added to the herd in the fall of 2020. The day after their arrival, an older male elk attacked and killed one of the new elk.
Three male elk who died in 2017, possibly the result of dehydration, though necropsies and toxicology tests yielded inconclusive results, officials said at the time.
Those deaths prompted forest preserve officials to tighten policies and procedures aimed at improving the care of the herd, including a daily head count and visual inspection, and making sure the water tank is completely filled every day.
The size of the herd has fluctuated over the years, from dozens in their original location down the road, to about a dozen when the current pen opened in the late 1970s.
An elk can live 15 to 20 years in good health, experts say.