It’s sad how a simple piece of human trash can turn into a dangerous trap for animals. Something as ordinary as a tossed tire can cause pain and suffering for creatures that should be free to roam their natural habitats.
For one elk in Colorado, an old tire became just that: a heavy burden he couldn’t escape from for years.
This poor elk had a tire stuck around his neck for two years. Once free and majestic, he was now trapped by something that didn’t belong in the wild.
He suffered silently, unable to shake off the heavy burden that clung to him. The story spread, and people began to wonder: how long could he survive like this?
When wildlife officials spotted him through trail cameras, they were concerned. His neck squeezed through the small opening of the tire, with the metal rim pressing against his fur.
When the breeding season comes, the elks’ necks naturally swell and grow thicker. The officials worried that, for this elk, that could be life-threatening, as Scot Murdoch explained in a YouTube video:
“Our worry was that the animal would fill up the entire center of that tire and potentially restrict blood flow or air or ability to grow because that tire was around its neck.”
Each time they saw the elk on cameras, the officials feared for his life. So they began keeping a lookout, hoping they would get a chance to help him.
But every time they thought they were close, the elk would disappear into the forest. The officials never gave up, though. They spent countless hours tracking him and planning how to remove the tire.
Finally, after two years of failed attempts and strategizing, they managed to catch up with the elusive elk. They aimed and shot a tranquilizer dart, and he slowly stumbled to the ground.
It was a relief to see him down safely, but the team knew the hard part was just beginning.
As they approached him, they could see how deeply the tire had cut into his fur and skin. The metal rim was rusted and sharp, making it nearly impossible to pull off.
To free him, they had to make a difficult choice – they had to cut off his antlers. Losing his antlers would affect his pride and status among other elk, but it was the only way to remove the tire without causing further harm.
The team worked quickly and carefully, sawing through the antlers before sliding the tire over his head. When they finally pulled the tire off, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted, not just for the elk, but for everyone involved.
The once-trapped animal lay on the ground, finally free him from the harsh ring of entrapment. The tire that had weighed him down for so long now lay discarded next to him, and the elk was given a chance to live normally again.
Though his antlers were gone, they would grow back in a few months, strong and proud as ever. What mattered was that the elk was no longer weighed down by that tire.
The freedom he’d gained was something far more valuable – a second chance to live without pain or struggle and truly be wild and free again. This was the start of a new chapter in his life, one where he could thrive without anything holding him back.