Tule Elk
The tule elk herds had virtually disappeared by 1860, 13 years before the state awarded them complete protection. In the spring of 1978, two bulls and eight cows were brought in from the San Luis Island Wildlife Refuge near Los Banos. The elk were contained within a temporary, three acre enclosure to allow for adjustment to their new surroundings. That summer, 6 of the cows bore calves. In the fall, 17 elk were released from the enclosure on Tomales Point to 2,600 acres of open grassland and coastal scrub. By the summer of 1988, the population was at 93 animals. The population census taken in 2000 counted over 400 elk.
The tule elk can be found in several locations within the park but the best chance of seeing them is in the Tule Elk Preserve at Tomales Point. They graze freely and are often seen near the road as you drive into the preserve. Discover more about the tule elk by reading "Tule Elk - Return of a Species" (367Kb PDF file - Adobe Acrobat Reader plug-in required).
More information On Tule Elk at Point Reyes
Tule Elk, Cervus elaphal nannodesis, is a subspecies of elk which was once abundant in the grassy habits within the Central Valley and along the coast of California. Exploited for their tallow (fat) and hides in the early 1880’s, the added pressure of market hunting for meat in the years of the gold rush caused the elk herds to diminish rapidly and to seek refuge in tule marshes, hence the name, tule elk.
The tule elk herd had virtually disappeared by 1860, 13 years before the state awarded them complete protections. In 1875 the tule marshes around Buena Vista Lake near Bakersfield turned up the final remnant of the tule elk, a single pair. They were protected by rancher Henry Miller, the owner of the land on which they were found, the herd began to expand very slowly at first and by 1905 there were about 145. The U.S. Biological Survey transported some of the herd to other locations to relieve the pressure of the herd on the land to widen the occurrence in the state.
The slightly smaller stature and preference for grassland distinguish the tule elk from its counterparts, the Roosevelt and Rock Mountain elk. The antlers are found only on the males begin to grow around April and velvet which covers the antlers is shed in June and July. The velvet is comprised of blood vessels which nourish the bone. The velvet is rubbed off, the antler harden and are used in battles between males. Elk antlers are composed of a single beam from which smaller prongs, called tines originate.
Bulls enter the rut (breeding season) in late July and it continues until September. During the rut, bulls bugle, roll in wallows, thrash the ground with their antler, spurt urine on their under parts and rub on the ground and trees. Mating occurs only when the cows are receptive. One master bull assumes command which was established during the summer.
Primary and secondary bulls are responsible for 80% of the breeding. Bulls may have harems up to 60 cows. Calves are born in April and May after a gestation period of 8 months, they will nurse for four months and then begin to graze. Life expectancy for tule elk is approximately ten years. The diet is varies, they graze on herbs, grasses, acorsn, tule and reeds.
Tomales Point at the Point Reyes National Seashore was selected as the site for the re-introduction of tule elk because the habitat was deemed suitable, the impact on deer and cattle minimal and it appeared to be a relatively easy spot for containing the herd. In the spring of 1978, two bulls and eight cows were brought in from the San Luis Island Wildlife Refuge near Los Banos. The elk were contained within a temporary three acre enclosure to permit their adjustment to their new surrounding, the following summer six cows bore calves. In the fall of 1878, 17 tule elk were released on Tomales Point to 2,600 acres of open grassland and coastal scrub. By the summer of 1988 the population was at 93 tule elk and they continue to thrive.
