Natural Salt Lick
One could have been easily confused on why this cow elk was licking a dead tree for several minutes. Well, this happens to be around the West Thumb hotsprings, YNP, where there are lots of sodium build up around the pools. It's really no different than a domestic cow licking a salt lick, except this one is all natural and readily available.
The elk or wapiti is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, in the world, and one of the largest land mammals in North America and Eastern Asia. This animal should not be confused with the still larger moose to which the name "elk" applies in British English and in reference to populations in Eurasia.
Elk range in forest and forest-edge habitat, feeding on grasses, plants, leaves, and bark. Male elk have large antlers which are shed each year. Males also engage in.. more
