Exploring the Elk of Cataloochee Worksheet for Age 14

Instructions

1. Read the background passage about elk in Cataloochee Valley.
2. Complete the questions in order. Use evidence from the passage when asked.
3. For the data activity, study the model observations before drawing conclusions.
4. Answer the reflection and extension questions using complete thoughts.
5. Remember: Wild animals should be observed from a safe distance and never fed.

Learning Goals

By the end of this worksheet, you should be able to:

• Describe why elk were reintroduced to Cataloochee Valley.
• Explain how elk interact with their habitat and ecosystem.
• Use evidence to make claims about wildlife populations.
• Recommend responsible ways for people to observe elk.

Reading: Elk Return to Cataloochee

Cataloochee Valley is a broad, scenic valley in the eastern part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Before the park was created, families lived and farmed there. Today, visitors may see historic buildings, forests, streams, meadows, and a growing herd of elk.

Elk once lived throughout the southern Appalachian region. Over time, hunting and the loss of suitable habitat caused elk to disappear from much of the region. In 2001, the National Park Service and its partners began a reintroduction project in the Cataloochee area. Elk from another population were carefully transported and released. Additional elk were introduced later to help establish a healthy herd.

Elk are large plant-eating mammals. They graze on grasses and other plants in open areas, but they may also browse on leaves, shrubs, and young trees. Because elk eat plants, they can affect which plants grow in a meadow. Their movement can also disturb soil and spread seeds. These effects make elk an important part of the ecosystem, although too many elk in one small area could put pressure on vegetation.

Adult male elk are called bulls. Bulls grow antlers each year and often make a loud call called a bugle during the fall breeding season, or rut. Adult females are called cows, and young elk are called calves. A cow usually stays alert while a calf rests or feeds nearby.

Elk are wild animals, not pets. Visitors should watch them quietly from a safe distance, avoid blocking roads or paths, and never feed or touch them. Feeding wildlife can make animals lose their natural fear of people. An elk that approaches people may create a dangerous situation for both the animal and the visitors.

The return of elk to Cataloochee provides opportunities for scientific study, wildlife viewing, and conversations about conservation. It also creates a responsibility: people must share the landscape respectfully so that elk, other wildlife, and visitors can remain safe.

Section 1: Check Your Understanding

Choose the best answer.

1. Where is Cataloochee Valley located?

   A. In a desert in the southwestern United States
   B. In the eastern part of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
   C. On an island in the Pacific Ocean
   D. In the center of a large city

2. Why did elk disappear from much of the southern Appalachian region?

   A. They stopped eating plants.
   B. They migrated permanently to Africa.
   C. Hunting and habitat loss reduced their populations.
   D. They were unable to grow antlers.

3. What is the main purpose of a reintroduction project?

   A. To move wild animals into a region where they once lived
   B. To train wild animals to perform for visitors
   C. To replace all other animals in an ecosystem
   D. To keep animals in small cages

4. Which animal is most likely to bugle during the fall rut?

   A. A bull
   B. A cow
   C. A calf
   D. A beaver

5. Why can elk affect the plants in a meadow?

   A. Elk eat grasses and other vegetation.
   B. Elk turn plants into rocks.
   C. Elk prevent rain from falling.
   D. Elk pollinate every flower in the valley.

Section 2: Vocabulary in Context

Match each word with its meaning. Write the correct letter on each line.

1. _____ reintroduction
2. _____ habitat
3. _____ browse
4. _____ ecosystem
5. _____ conservation

A. The protection and careful management of nature and natural resources
B. The place where an organism lives and gets what it needs
C. To eat leaves, shrubs, or other higher-growing plants
D. A community of living things and the nonliving environment around them
E. The process of bringing a species back to an area where it once lived

Section 3: Evidence Hunt

For each statement, write one fact from the passage that supports it.

Section 4: Sort the Information

Place each item in the correct category. Write the item numbers in the boxes.

1. bull
2. cow
3. calf
4. bugling during the fall rut
5. grazing on grasses
6. young elk
7. growing antlers
8. adult female elk
9. adult male elk
10. browsing on shrubs

Section 5: Model Field Observations

The table below shows fictional practice data collected by a student team. The observations are not an official population survey.

Answer the questions using the table.

1. On which day were the most elk observed?

   ---

2. Which day had the fewest elk feeding in the open meadow?

   ---

3. What pattern, if any, do you notice between the number of elk observed and the number near a road?

   ---

   ---

4. Why would these observations not be enough to determine the total number of elk living in Cataloochee?

   ---

   ---

5. Name one variable the student team should keep the same each day to make the observations more reliable.

   ---

Section 6: Think Like an Ecologist

Complete each sentence with a logical conclusion.

1. If a meadow has too many elk for the available vegetation, then...

   ---

   ---

2. If visitors feed elk regularly, the elk may...

   ---

   ---

3. If elk graze in one area and later move to another area, they might help...

   ---

   ---

4. One piece of evidence that elk are interacting with their habitat would be...

   ---

   ---

Section 7: Wildlife-Watching Decision Challenge

A group of visitors sees a bull elk near a road. Choose the safest action in each situation.

1. The bull is standing about 30 feet away and begins to move toward the group.

   A. Move closer for a better photograph.
   B. Stay still and offer it food.
   C. Slowly increase the distance and give it room.
   D. Shout to make it run away.

2. Several cars stop in the road to watch elk. What is the best response?

   A. Add another car to the line.
   B. Stop only if there is a safe place, and never block traffic.
   C. Leave the car in the road while taking photographs.
   D. Honk repeatedly.

3. A child wants to touch a calf. What should an adult explain?

   ---

   ---

4. Write one rule for responsible elk viewing and explain why it matters.

   Rule: _____

   Why: _____

Section 8: Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning

Respond to the prompt below in one well-developed paragraph.

Prompt: Was reintroducing elk to Cataloochee a useful conservation action? Make a claim, use at least two pieces of evidence from the passage, and explain your reasoning.

Helpful structure:

• Claim: I think reintroducing elk was or was not useful because...
• Evidence: One detail from the passage is... Another detail is...
• Reasoning: These details show...

Optional Challenge: Design a Better Study

Imagine that you are helping scientists study the elk herd for one month. Choose two measurements you would collect and explain what each could reveal.

Possible measurements include:

• Number of elk observed
• Number of bulls, cows, and calves
• Location and habitat type
• Time of day
• Weather conditions
• Signs of feeding or browsing
• Distance from roads or people

Reflection

What is one action you could take during a visit to a national park that would help protect wildlife?

Answer Key

Section 1

1. B
2. C
3. A
4. A
5. A

Section 2

1. E
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. A

Section 3

Answers may vary. Sample answers:

• Elk can influence an ecosystem in more than one way: Elk eat vegetation, disturb soil as they move, and may spread seeds.
• Elk reintroduction requires cooperation: The National Park Service and its partners worked together to transport and release elk.
• People can affect the behavior and safety of wild elk: Feeding elk can cause them to lose their natural fear of people and approach visitors.
• Cataloochee is valuable for both wildlife and people: The valley provides habitat for elk and opportunities for scientific study and wildlife viewing.
• Elk have different names at different ages or sexes: Adult males are bulls, adult females are cows, and young elk are calves.

Section 4

• Adult female elk: 2, 8
• Young elk: 3, 6
• Feeding behavior: 5, 10
• Breeding-season behavior: 4

Section 5

The table is intentionally blank for students to complete with their own observations or teacher-provided data. Answers should be based on the data supplied.

1. The day with the highest number in the Elk observed column.
2. The day with the lowest number in the Elk feeding in open meadow column.
3. Answers may vary. Students should describe a pattern supported by the numbers, such as whether road sightings increase when total sightings increase.
4. The observations cover only a limited time and place. Some elk may be hidden, elsewhere in the valley, or counted more than once.
5. Possible answers include observation time, observation length, location, weather conditions, or the number of observers.

Section 6

Answers may vary. Sample answers:

1. If a meadow has too many elk for the available vegetation, then the plants could become damaged or less abundant.
2. If visitors feed elk regularly, the elk may lose their natural fear of people and approach roads or visitors.
3. If elk graze in one area and later move to another area, they might help spread seeds or change how plants grow in different places.
4. One piece of evidence that elk are interacting with their habitat would be signs of grazing, browsing, tracks, disturbed soil, or changes in vegetation.

Section 7

1. C
2. B
3. A calf may be near its mother, and touching or approaching a wild animal can cause stress or provoke defensive behavior.
4. Answers may vary. Examples include staying far away, never feeding wildlife, keeping roads clear, and observing quietly.

Section 8

Answers will vary. A strong response should include:

• A clear claim about whether reintroduction was useful.
• At least two accurate details from the passage.
• An explanation connecting the evidence to the claim.

Sample response: Reintroducing elk to Cataloochee was a useful conservation action because it returned a native species to part of its former range. The passage explains that hunting and habitat loss had caused elk to disappear from much of the southern Appalachians. It also states that elk can influence vegetation and provide opportunities for scientific study. These details show that the project can support biodiversity while helping people learn how elk interact with their habitat.

Optional Challenge

Answers will vary. Strong answers identify a useful measurement and explain what it could reveal. For example, recording the number of bulls, cows, and calves could help scientists estimate the herd's age and sex structure. Recording habitat type could show which areas elk use most often.

Reflection

Answers will vary. Appropriate actions include keeping a safe distance, not feeding wildlife, staying on designated paths, taking trash home, and avoiding blocking roads.