This work compiles various sketches created at Point Reyes to visually narrate the history of the tule elk. Once plentiful, the elk population was decimated by an influx of white settlers who engaged in overhunting and disrupted their habitat. By the mid-19th century, tule elk were presumed to be completely extinct. In 1874, a single documented herd remained on a private ranch near Bakersfield; these few elk were the progenitors of the estimated 5,700 individuals throughout the state today.
In 1978, elk were reintroduced to the Point Reyes National Seashore at Tomales Point in a reserve barred off by a two mile length of fence. The elk were contained to appease private cattle ranchers who operated a cluster of historic ranches within the park’s boundaries. In recent years, the national park has faced mounting criticism for its concessions to ranchers at the expense of the seashore’s ecology. The Coast Miwok Tribal Council, who have ancestral ties to the land spanning thousands of years, appealed to the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2021 regarding the management of Point Reyes. In their letter, they objected to the National Park Service’s prioritization of ranching operations over the preservation of Coast Miwok archaeological sites and the well-being of native flora and fauna.
A 2022 lawsuit against the National Park Service by environmental advocacy groups resulted in a settlement agreement under which ranchers could receive compensation in exchange for vacating the land. This marked a pivot in the park’s stewardship towards protecting its biodiversity. A section of the Tomales Point fence was finally torn down in December 2024, allowing the elk to roam the seashore once more. As of April 2026, only two of the historic ranches currently remain in operation within the park.