Wildlife officials in California, including those from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), captured 36 tule elk -- found only in California -- in the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge in the San Joaquin Valley and relocated them to other parts of the state.

Though it's unclear from current news reports exactly why they did so (presumably because the area couldn't sustain them in the summer months or perhaps for breeding purposes), the overall goal was to continue the conservation of a species that once numbered 30 in the 1930s following the aftermath of the Gold Rush, the Lake County News reported.

"Tule elk are one of California's unique wildlife treasures," Kim Forrest, Refuge Manager at the San Luis NWR Complex, told the Lake County News. "We are pleased to partner with CDFW in relocating a portion of the San Luis herd so that other herds throughout the state can prosper."

Through chemical immobilization, herding, and physically restraints, Californian conservationists have undertaken the difficult task of transporting elk herds since the 1970s. Their efforts have increased the species' numbers from 500 in 1975 to over 4,000 today.

 "Seventy years ago, tule elk were on the brink of extinction and down to just a handful of animals," Senior Environmental Scientist Joe Hobbs told the Lake County News. "Through CDFW's wildlife management protocols and collaborative efforts with other wildlife organizations, we now have healthy and thriving herds across the state. It's one the greatest wildlife success stories of our time."

Capturing elk, though extremely difficult given their size (up to 1,000 pounds for the males), also helps scientists learn more about the animals' habits. Before releasing them into the wild, researchers take various samples and tag them to track their movements.