SEATTLE — A friendly, young elk who grew too domesticated in the wild has been relocated to Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, where she is adjusting to her new home.
Buttons is a juvenile female elk from Cle Elum, Washington. She was moved to the zoo after wildlife officials deemed it too dangerous for her to be dependent on humans for food.
Now she is living in the Northern Trail exhibit and zoo officials have introduced her to other elk. Buttons met the bull named Goodwyn, and the cows named Sarah and Jessie. She explored the elk barn and outdoor habitat and even sniffed at the wolves.
Buttons' story is another good reminder for humans to leave nature alone, the zoo said. Do not feed animals or interfere with babies during the spring since the mother is often nearby and has put her baby in that location on purpose.