Putting Wildlife First in National Elk Refuge

The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge System is to conserve, manage, and restore wildlife and their habitats “for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.” The best way to conserve and manage wildlife, however, is not always obvious and Americans sometimes disagree about what kinds of benefits we should expect. At the National Elk Refuge in western Wyoming, these disagreements have been a source of friction for decades. A path forward may appear soon, as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to publish a new Bison and Elk Management Plan for the refuge later this year.

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Cieszkiewicz / USFWS

Located in Jackson Hole, just south of Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, the National Elk Refuge’s 24,700 acres are home to iconic species like gray wolves, grizzly bears, pronghorn and bison. The namesake elk only winter in the refuge, arriving in December and migrating to their summer grounds by April. Visitors can view wildlife against the backdrop of the Teton Mountains while hiking and biking during the warmer months, and by riding horse-drawn sleighs when snow is on the ground.  

Prior to the refuge’s establishment in 1912, cattle ranching and the growing town of Jackson (located at the southern end of Jackson Hole Valley) had swallowed up much of the elk’s habitat. Loss of habitat meant a major loss of food for the elk during severe winters. Congress appropriated money for the “feeding [and] protection” of elk, and the refuge started providing supplemental food — first hay, later alfalfa pellets — during the winter.  

The feeding program has continued for 112 years and now supports a larger population of elk in Jackson Hole than could exist without it. Some cite this as an example of effective wildlife management, providing benefits to the community in the form of hunting opportunities and tourism revenue. Defenders of Wildlife argues it is not consistent with the Refuge System’s mission because it creates unnatural conditions in a place meant to exemplify nature.  

Now, a new threat to elk on the refuge — chronic wasting disease — makes this more than just an abstract debate.

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal, untreatable illness affecting deer, elk and moose. It is caused by misfolded proteins, called prions, that spread from animal to animal. The risk of transmission is much greater when animals are densely gathered, like the elk are on winter feeding grounds. When the last Bison and Elk Management Plan was published in 2007, it called chronic wasting disease a “future risk” that could be addressed “as the need arises.” Although no animal has yet tested positive inside the refuge, chronic wasting disease has been detected recently in the adjacent Grand Teton National Park.  

It is only a matter of time before it begins spreading through the Jackson Hole elk herd. The time to act is now.

Past proposals to phase out feeding have been controversial, mostly because doing so would result in fewer elk in Jackson Hole. FWS has so far been deferential to the ambitious herd size targets of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. While the state agency is an important and necessary partner, the refuge must be managed in accordance with Refuge System laws and regulations. 

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LoriIverson/USFWS

The Refuge System’s management must also be guided by the best available science. Earlier this year, the U.S. Geological Survey published an analysis that concluded the elk population will decline no matter what strategy is implemented. Its models show, however, the population will decline more as a result of chronic wasting disease if feeding is continued than under any scenario in which feeding is stopped. Ending the feeding program is in everyone’s long-term interest, including the elk.  

Defenders advocates for the new Bison and Elk Management Plan to phase out winter feeding on an aggressive timetable. The refuge cannot achieve its purpose of being a safe home for elk and other big game animals if chronic wasting disease is allowed to spread unchecked. Ending feeding will also help the refuge achieve its second purpose of being a breeding ground for birds by preventing over-browsing of riparian vegetation, a key nesting habitat. In these ways and more, establishing a more natural density of elk by phasing out feeding will bring the refuge in line with its statutory mandate to maintain biological integrity, diversity and environmental health.

The development and implementation of a refuge management plan as complicated as this one requires significant staff time and resources. The recent dismissal of hundreds of FWS employees has cast a shadow over this effort and every other aspect of managing and protecting the Refuge System. Due to chronic underfunding, the Refuge System was already significantly understaffed. The sudden loss of dedicated employees will make it even harder to achieve its mission. While reasonable people can disagree about how to manage the National Elk Refuge, all who care about wildlife should support the Refuge System and those who make it possible.