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Description

Title: Bull Elk Guardian
Location: Mountain Farm Museum, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina
Description:
In October 2025, a solitary bull elk stands sentinel amid the open fields of the Mountain Farm Museum, its imposing antlers and powerful form a striking emblem of the species' successful reintroduction to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Positioned against the historic farmstead on the North Carolina side, the elk surveys the landscape with quiet majesty, its presence filling the once-vacant meadows and underscoring the vitality of the restored ecosystem. This image captures the raw power of the animal in its reclaimed native habitat, where the subtle beauty of its form enhances the timeless vistas of the Smokies, blending wildlife resurgence with the enduring legacy of mountain heritage.