WHIDBEY ISLAND, Wash. — A beloved presence on Whidbey Island is gone.
The Island County Sheriff announced that Bruiser, Whidbey Island’s resident elk, has died.
KOMO News has followed Bruiser’s story for years.
In 2017, he was tranquilized when he got tangled in a buoy and a long section of mooring line.
Before the pandemic in 2019, he was also seen tangled in a tarp.
Ralph Downes, a Washington State Fish and Wildlife official, said, “He’s the only elk on Whidbey Island.”
Downes explained that Bruiser swam to the island from Skagit County with his herd but stayed behind while the others left.
“We’ve seen him be detrimental to yard art, tarps, trees, shrubs, bicycles, a little bit of everything. And unfortunately, most recently somebody didn’t heed his warning, and he did do some damage to an automobile,” said Downes, who noted that Bruiser’s frustration often increased each year as he entered rut.
Downes explained that, being the only elk left, Bruiser was without a companion and that, with his age, moving him was not an option.
“Now that he’s getting up there in age, it would be far less appropriate or conducive to think about relocating him,” he said.
Residents and officials alike expressed that Bruiser will be deeply missed by those who encountered him.
For 14 years, Bruiser was a familiar sight in the community, recognized for his solitary life and his tangled antlers.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said Bruiser lived much longer than most wild elk.
Wildlife officials shared that he became a legend on the island, with many residents remembering his wandering ways.