Elk are attracted to the lush spread of lawns, gardens and green spaces in the townsite, and to the relative safety from predators who are more wary of humans and tend to avoid the community. All these factors contribute to reduced adult mortality and high calf survival rates. The park management practice of suppressing forest fires during the last 50 years or so has also contributed to the numbers of elk in the townsite area by reducing the availability of good elk habitat in other areas of the park. When large numbers of elk take over an area they leave behind trampled, disturbed sites which are prone to soil erosion. These factors cause subsequent losses in breeding bird communities.
Elk also displace less tolerant species like mule deer and bighorn sheep.
Unless we can restore natural processes and maintain biodiversity, these trends will be become more apparent as the number of elk continues to increase. The number of incidents involving aggressive behaviour by elk has increased dramatically in the last 10 years. More than 500 aggressive elk encounters have been reported in the last decade, and 26 of them resulted in serious human injuries involving deep lacerations or broken bones. Jasper townsite, Jasper Park Lodge, Whistlers and Wapiti campgrounds, Lakes Edith and Annette, and townsite area trails. As the elk herd increases in size and becomes further habituated to people, the numbers of aggressive encounters will continue to rise.