Twice in Three Days – Woman Attacked by Elk

Same place, same situation, same outcome – for the second time in just three days, a woman was attacked by a cow elk protecting her calf behind the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel in Yellowstone National Park.
53-year-old Penny Allyson Behr from Cypress, Texas was walking between two cabins yesterday morning when she was surprised by an elk bedded along the cabin wall with a calf nearby. She attempted to back away but the elk pursued and struck her with its legs in the head and torso. Ms. Behr was taken by ambulance to Livingston Memorial Hospital.
It’s not known if this was the same elk involved in the incident which severely injured a Las Vegas woman on Sunday. Rangers hazed the elk away from the cabins and continue to monitor the area. No citation was issued.
Park officials say it’s very common for cow elk to aggressively defend newborn calves and hide them near buildings and cars. Be extra cautious anywhere elk and calves are present; approach blind corners slowly and maintain a safe distance of at least 25 yards.