A bull elk greets a cow with her young in Rocky Mountain Na onal Park. Photo by Marsha Hobert.
HOOFED: the ungulates of Rocky Story by Z.F. Coen Photographs by Marsha Hobert, Deena Marie Czech, and Brad Manard There is a s llness to the air as the fog slowly creeps back west into the divide. Pillows of lo y snow cover the boughs of fir and pine trees, occasionally dropping loose snowflakes that dust the surrounding air. A gentle brush of the lightest breeze reminds you of the chill in the air. A curl of vapor rises from a nearby willow thicket as a dark-eyed junco flu ers away. Cau ously, a cow elk parts through the thick willow brush with her calf and a herd of cows following. They will spend the morning browsing grasses, willow, and aspen. Rocky Mountain Na onal Park offers some of the best habitat in Colorado for ungulates, which are mammals “having hooves.” Moose, elk, mule deer, and bighorn sheep are a favorite sight among visitors and residents. Of these, elk will be the most noted and most likely seen by the average person. The abundance of Rocky Mountain elk in the park is astounding.
A bull elk in rut Photo by Marsha Hobert.
To the average person enjoying the scenery of the Park, the most elusive of the ungulates are the North American moose. Most passersby are abruptly delighted upon sigh ng one of these most beloved creatures. There is a tenderness that can only be characterized by their maternalis c ins ncts, and a ferocity in their guardianship of young. These seemingly-gentle giants are quick on their feet when they need to defend themselves and are undeterred by fear.
