Both elk flocks die from ice slips when drinking water

A group of elk consists of dozens of individuals who died after falling from thin ice in a reservoir in northeastern Oregon, USA.

Reuters quoted Phillip Perrine, Oregon wildlife conservation official, as saying the accident occurred when 41 deer were eating near the 93km long Brownlee lake. They went through ice sheets to find drinking water.

However, a portion of the northern part of the lake was weakened by frequent water flow and some elk once fell due to previous ice subsidence.

A herd of elk in Washington state.(Photo: Seattle Times).

Perrine said he and other colleagues were sad and regretful when they arrived at the reservoir but could not rescue them because the ice sheets were not fixed. He witnessed 4 dead deer in despair when he was 200 - 300 m away from the shore.

"The scene is very sad. The worst feeling (going on)", he said over the phone.

Elk is a large mammal with a beautiful appearance. However, this animal often ventures from high ground to lower places to find food in the winter.

This deer species is also an important target for hunters because of its large size and lean meat. An adult male can weigh several hundred kilograms with a pair of gauze over 1 meter wide.

Elk is a large mammal in North America with a beautiful appearance.(Photo: Getty).

Oregon wildlife conservation officials also expressed regret after the incident on the agency's Facebook page and said meat from 41 deer would not be used for charity purposes.

Perrine explains that the corpses of these deer will be poked by birds and other predators and their meat is not guaranteed.

He said the deer's footprints showed that they did not flee from other predators like wolves. Their bodies will not affect the water quality in the reservoir when they decompose.