Tule elk are a unique species found only in California, and today they are considered one of the state’s greatest wildlife recovery successes. In the 1800s, unregulated hunting and the rapid loss of natural habitat caused their population to collapse. By the 1870s, tule elk were believed to be nearly extinct until a small surviving herd was discovered on a ranch in the San Joaquin Valley. This group became the foundation for the species’ recovery. Over the next century, conservationists and wildlife agencies protected the remaining elk and carried out reintroduction programs across the state. Tule elk were officially given legal protection in 1971, which helped their numbers grow even more. Today, more than twenty herds live throughout California, and the population has risen to almost 6,000 animals. The tule elk’s comeback shows how long‑term conservation efforts can successfully restore a species once thought to be lost.

Today, you can see tule elk on the eastern side of the southern Bay Area.

County Parks with Elk Include:

Joseph D. Grant
Anderson
Coyote Lake Harvey-Bear
Motorcycle Park

Urban development has reduced elk habitat in Santa Clara County. Parks provide critical habitat for this large species. https://parks.santaclaracounty.gov/conservation/wildlife/tule-elk