2,878 aggressive wildlife incidents logged in Canadian national parks from 2010 to 2023 showed Elk were involved in 62% of cases, more than any other of the five species studied.
Camping emerged as a key risk setting: elk appeared in 84% of campground incidents, a pattern researchers linked to summer camping overlapping with elk mating and calving seasons.
Bears posed a different threat profile, with grizzly and black bears—14% and 13% of incidents—most often involved when people were quietly hiking or wildlife watching and risked surprising them on trails.
Mule deer and coyotes were less common in the data, though mule deer were most often provoked in encounters involving dogs, which resemble natural predators.
The researchers said the findings can guide park safety advice, including hiking in groups or making noise, keeping dogs on short leashes and checking trail signage or park staff guidance.