Colorado bull elk has had tire stuck around its neck for a YEAR

Bull elk which has had a tire stuck around its neck for a YEAR is spotted on Colorado trail camera – and experts fear it may soon stop the growing animal from breathing

  • Employees at Colorado Parks and Wildlife have spotted the animal on trail cameras in Arapahoe-Roosevelt National Forest several times over the past year
  • Experts say they are unclear how the bull elk came to have the tire lodged around its neck, but fear it could pose significant danger 
  • They are asking locals to immediately get in contact with them if they spot the animal while out hiking  

Colorado Parks and Wildlife are asking the public for help in locating a bull elk who has had a rubber tire stuck around his neck for more than a year. 

On Monday, the organization shared footage from one its trail cameras which showed the animal wandering through the Arapahoe-Roosevelt National Forest with the tube trapped over its head. 

Rangers say the elk has been spotted on surveillance footage several times in the past 12 months, and they now fear for its livelihood if the tire is not removed. 

Colorado Parks and Wildlife are asking the public for help in locating a bull elk who has had a rubber tire stuck around his neck for more than a year

The elk is believed to still be quite young, and experts say he may soon struggle to breathe with the tube trapped around his neck. 

‘As he continues to grow he is not going to have the room that he has now to eat freely, to breathe and drink,’ CPW spokesperson Jason Clay told Fox 31. 

The tire could be mistaken as a sign of aggression to other wild animals. 

‘Worst-case scenario is he could die because he is fighting with another bull elk,’ Clay explained. 

Sadly, the CPW spokesperson says its not unusual for rangers to discover elk with different objects stuck around their antlers and necks. 

‘We see it too often — whether it’s, you know, a hammock caught up in it, Christmas lighting, roping, tire around its neck. Unfortunately, it happens quite a bit here in Colorado,’ he stated. 

In recent months, the elk with the tire around its neck has been spotted on trail camera close to the town of Conifer, and the CPW are urging locals to immediately contact them if they spot the animal. 

The CPW has been sharing images of the animal on its social media pages in a bid to alert locals

The CPW has been sharing images of the animal on its social media pages in a bid to alert locals 

They are warning the public not to attempt removing the tire themselves. 

Footage of the elk upset many on social media. 

‘So sad that people treat our parks and recreation (State and National) areas like they are dumping zones to throw their trash without any regard to wildlife and vegetation in the area. I so pray that elk is found so the tire can be removed from his neck,’ one wrote. 

Footage of the elk upset many on social media, who are worried for its wellbeing

Footage of the elk upset many on social media, who are worried for its wellbeing