Elk are native to many of the eastern states from TN and NC and further north. Hunting pressure and developement got them all. About ten years ago the park service reintroduced them to the Smokeys and they are doing well. Right now there are around 125 in the park. The first few years they were only seen in the Cataloochee Cove area where they were introduced at the east end of the park. They are now seen at times at various places around the east half of the park. They will probably spread across all of the park in the next few years. BTW Elk reintroduction projects are not so new. They were reintroduced in many areas in the southern part of the Rockies starting in the 1920s and 1930s.

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