Dramatic video captured the moment a massive elk headbutted a man and sent him airborne as nearby witnesses sounded their vehicle horns in an effort to drive the animal away.
The elk had been wandering along a street in the Great Smoky Mountains while the unidentified man stood behind a tree nearby.
The person filming could be heard gasping as the elk charged, pursuing the man around the tree.
The man tried to escape but slipped and fell. The elk then moved toward him and headbutted him, launching him into the air.
Several witnesses honked their horns from their vehicles until the animal moved away from the man, who was left lying in the grass. The extent of his injuries has not been disclosed.
Tracy Howells, who first shared the footage online, said the incident took place Saturday at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center on the north side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
“Please keep your distance from the elk, especially during rut!!” she wrote.
The footage quickly spread online, prompting widespread warnings against approaching the enormous animals.
Video captured a bull elk headbutting a man and sending him flying through the air
“It’s important for people to realize that things like this don’t just happen in Yellowstone. Wild animals are unpredictable,” one person commented.
“We go almost weekly to see the elk. Please don’t get out of your vehicle! It’s mating season and the big guys are territorial, especially now! It’s not a petting zoo! Signs are posted for everyone! Read!” another wrote.
Charles Sellars, superintendent of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, responded to the video by urging visitors to remain at least 25 yards away from elk, particularly during mating season.
“Visitors are encouraged to experience the beauty of elk in their natural habitat while prioritizing safety and conservation,” Sellars said.
“Elk are wild animals and can react instinctually to perceived threats. In particular females (cows) with calves and males (bulls) will defend their territory.”
The incident also prompted concern among conservationists that the elk could be euthanized. A petition was subsequently launched to save the animal.
DISCOVER MORE: HBO’s War: George Kay Explains How [Spoiler] Became a Mole
“Something feels inherently wrong about punishing a creature of the wild for acting on its instincts when it was intruded upon by a human who ignored clear safety advice,” the petition said.
“The bull elk, a majestic symbol of our beautiful wilderness, has been marked for execution because it defended itself when a person chose to violate the park’s guidelines. This unfortunate encounter was not the animal’s fault. After all, how can we blame an elk for doing what comes naturally?”
Bull elk shed their antlers at the beginning of the year before they regrow and lose their velvet covering by August, making them especially likely to spar in September and October
Join the discussion
Should wild animals face consequences when people ignore safety rules and are injured?
The petition reached almost 5,000 signatures, with many arguing that the man intruded on the elk’s space.
However, Sellars denied the rumors and said in his statement that the park had no plans to euthanize the elk.
The incident occurred just two days after the park warned of the rut, which occurs from early September until late October.
Bull elk shed their antlers from the previous season at the start of the year and grow new ones under a velvet covering by August.
Hormonal changes during this time end the growth phase, and the velvet is rubbed off to reveal new antlers.
When they approach the rut, bull elk use their new antlers to intimidate and spar, often seeing anything as a threat.
Park officials have warned visitors to keep their distance, warning that encroaching on the elk’s space is against federal law.
Visitors have also been advised never to stop in the road or pull over to watch the elk from afar, and never to feed them.
The Daily Mail has reached out to park officials for additional comment.