Elk Harem Sticks Together As They Cross Lake Estes In Colorado

Birds of a feather flock together, and elk in a herd? Traveling together preferred. Especially when the group is trying to work their way through a body of water like these elk were doing at Lake Estes in Colorado. If that location sounds familiar, that's because elk are commonly known to roam around Estes Park. In fact, the state of Colorado is known as the elk capital of the world, as it is estimated that almost 300,000 elk call the "Centennial State" home. And a good chunk of that total number can be seen crossing and doggy-paddling (elky-paddling?) their way across the Estes Lake, a reservoir in the Estes Park area. The body of water has plenty of recreational uses, though swimming in the lake is prohibited. Try telling that to this herd of elk though... The group of elk comprised of all ages and sizes set their sights on the other side of the shore and decided that the fastest way to get there would be to go straight across. When you look up Estes Lake, it says there is a 3.75 mile walking path around the water, so the herd could have easily walked their way around. But it must've been a good day for a swim since the elk didn't seem to think twice about treading water all the way across. One by one, the elk waded into the lake and began their group expedition. Parts of the water we're deep enough for the animals to have activate their swimming abilities, while other portions were only about ankle or elk-knee deep, allowing for them to walk their way through with a small amount of resistance. Listen up for the elk's subtle squeaking and bugling as they make their way across. It's normal for them to make noises like this as they travel and are relaxed, and it allows for them to have constant communication. That makes sense, since living out in the wild can often mean going from a peaceful trek through the water to a battle between life and death in a matter of seconds if a predator decided to pounce. All the elk in this video had to worry about though was keeping their head above water and moving right along, as you'll be able to see in the clip below: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C7HiVOmOCea/?igsh=MTVxNm05Z2Rxam45NQ%3D%3D