19th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Eavesdrop
A female elk scratches away some pesky flies on her ear using the coarse grass at Yellowstone National Park. The elk near the North Entrance of the park are quite used to the human traffic around Mammoth Springs and show no care roaming about the lodge areas. Starting August and into winter, the elk's breeding season (and their "rut") begins. Visitors are warned of the elk's increasingly aggressive attitude in the rut, and advised to observe caution when taking pictures. Our visit was in the peaceful time of July, when we could enjoy this carefree grazing and relaxation alongside the elk.
Photo Detail
Date Taken: | 07.2021 |
Date Uploaded: | 11.2021 |
Photo Location: | Yellowstone, Wyoming, United States of America |
Camera: | NIKON D5600 |
Copyright: | © Maitreya Naik |