A woman was charged, stomped and kicked by a cow elk in Estes Park early Friday morning, the third elk attack in eight days in what Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials described as unprecedented behavior
The woman was walking her dog on a leash near South St. Vrain and Stanley avenues when she startled a cow elk from about 20 yards away, state officials said in a news release Friday.
The woman tried to run behind a tree for safety, but the cow elk knocked her to the ground and stomped and kicked her several times.
The woman is "seeking medical treatment," CPW officials said Friday. A calf was later seen nearby.
An 8-year-old girl was riding her bike in Estes Park on May 30 when a cow elk 60 yards away charged at her and stomped her, and a 4-year-old boy was attacked by a cow elk Monday while playing on a playground.
"Cow elk with young calves are known to be aggressive, however we've never seen a year like this," Area Wildlife Manager Jason Duetsch said in a statement.
"All three attacks have been unprovoked and unfortunate accidents. We have no clear evidence to suggest these attacks were from the same animal, which underscores how uncommon the elk behavior has been," he said.
CPW officials said they're urging Estes Park residents and visitors to be extra cautious until elk calving season ends in the early summer.
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