Park officials have been slow to come to elks' aid

In the recent article on West Marin's tule elk (“Point Reyes National Seashore rethinks elk herd strategy,” April 4) it was stated that park officials “took the unprecedented action of setting up water troughs and mineral licks in early 2021.” This came only after outrage and pressure about inaction by the National Park Service.

The herd has been trapped inside an eight-foot fence. At least 152 elk died of thirst for lack of water and foliage between 2019-2021.

In some ways, I think the elk die-off was convenient for the National Park Service. It was as if park officials were happy to keep them off their radar and quietly dying.

In 2020, when the community became aware of the elk's plight, a heroic group of activists actually put out troughs and hand-carried water to the elk. The Park Service removed the troughs in adherence to the policy at the time. There was concern that the lifesaving water troughs might be killing native plants. It seemed as if the life of a beautiful living being was worth less than a plant. It was hard to fathom.

The fence needs to come down and the elk need to be able to live a natural life. They are not in a zoo. They were introduced to the land and need to be protected and cared for, just like the native plants.

No elk should ever be shot as part of a culling program. Point Reyes is not a hunting preserve. We must preserve the integrity of the biosphere on this rare and precious land.

If the elk population must be controlled, there are more humane options like birth control.

Finally, I would like to add that, according to reports, it was money from Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria that first funded the park's ability to provide mineral licks.

— Spirit Lynn Wiseman,

Fairfax