While the elk kept its distance, it became clear it was interested in the boys’ game. When one of the boys kicked the red soccer ball towards the elk, the animal inspects it for a moment — then kicks it back to them!
It was as if the elk wanted to play ball with them. One of the boys calls it “hilarious,” and throws it to the elk, who kicks it back to them again.
“It’s just funny how much fun it’s having,” one of the kids says.
“It’s basically playing with you guys,” one off-camera voice says. “It knows what it’s doing.”
The boys definitely enjoyed their back-and-forth with this unlikely playmate, and the moment was captured on video by their mom Shira Moffatt.
Experts say that the elk probably wasn’t interested in soccer and was just following its natural instincts: a spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife told 9News that the elk likely mistook the ball as small prey, and was headbutting and stomping as a warning.
But we prefer to imagine that this is the beginning of this elk’s professional sports career, Air Bud style. After all there’s no rule that says an elk can’t play soccer!
