KIRKSVILLE, Mo. (AP) -- Elk herds are returning to southern Missouri after being absent from the state for nearly two centuries.
The state Conservation Commission voted Friday to restore wild elk in a 346-square-mile protected zone in parts of Shannon, Carter and Reynolds counties. The animals could be in place by early next year.
Some farmers opposed the idea over concerns the elk would damage crops and cause car accidents.
The conservation agency said the estimated 150 elk will be restored in a region of mostly public lands, with minimal farming and few nearby roads.
The elk will be tested for diseases and fitted with radio collars to track their movement. Elk were native to Missouri but were killed off in the 1800s by hunting and habitat destruction.
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