Videos of elk running through Wichita still making rounds

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Videos of an elk spotted at Rock Road and 37th Street on Monday are still making the rounds online. One expert says this unexpected visitor is unusual.

The elk, running along the road, is a young male elk likely moving out of the area they were in and searching for a new one.

“But that has become a more common occurrence in recent years, and a lot of people might be surprised to know how many counties have had elk in them in the state in recent years,” said Matt Peek, a wildlife research biologist for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

Peek says if you see an elk, don’t get too close.

“They’ll run through windows and doors, and so if people do pressure an animal and it gets in a situation like this, you run the risk of causing it to do some type of harm and possibly leading to it being killed,” he said.

If you saw the elk in Wichita, Peek says to consider yourself lucky. A sight like this doesn’t happen often.

“I mean, people are used to seeing deer, and this is an animal that moves like a deer but almost as big as a horse,” said Peek.

Peek says the most well-known herd is up on Fort Riley and in places where reproduction occurs.

It is unknown where the elk in Wichita originated.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.