Overview
- The peer-reviewed analysis published July 2, 2026 used Parks Canada incident records from 2010–2023 and found elk were involved in about 62% of reported aggressive human–wildlife incidents.
- Researchers found that quiet, low-impact activities such as hiking and wildlife watching account for the largest share of incidents, because surprise encounters are more likely on those trips.
- Specific animal–activity pairings concentrate risk: elk dominate townsite and campground run-ins while mule deer incidents rise during dog-walking and bears are most often involved in quiet trail encounters.
- The authors recommend practical steps for visitors — announce your presence, carry a whistle or speak while hiking, travel in groups, keep dogs on short leashes, and check park notices — and advise managers to focus signage and dynamic trail information on the high-risk pairings identified.
- The dataset only includes incidents reported to park staff and lacks key context such as animal sex and party size, so counts likely understate true encounter numbers but still give parks empirical priorities for reducing harm to people and wildlife.