Video: Unwell elk cools down in an Estonian swamp | News

In a video clip shared by the Estonian Hunters’ Society, the large animal can be seen wading through a swampy area, albeit very slowly, likely exhausted by the recent hot weather.

Unusually, the elk is then heard to sneeze.

The animal also scratches its nose, and this, plus a closer inspection, suggests it might be suffering from a parasitic disease such as onchocerciasis – which elk and other cervidae like red deer and roe deer are known to suffer from.

A subcutaneous parasitic worm infection spread by mosquitoes, this can cause skin thickening, itching, and inflammation — especially on the legs and neck area, and though often not life-threatening, it certainly affects an elk’s well-being and ability to move, often leading to a limping or a stiff gait.
The disease poses no threat to humans.

There are over 10,000 elk in Estonia according to estimates, and instances of them straying into suburban and even urban areas are not unheard of. The animal (Alces alces) is the same species as the North American moose.

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