An Arizona woman tragically lost her life more than a week after being fatally trampled by an elk. The incident, believed to be the first deadly attack of its kind in the state, occurred when the woman possibly attempted to feed the animal.

According to the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the victim sustained injuries consistent with being trampled by an elk. The department confirmed the presence of multiple elk tracks in the yard where the incident took place. The woman's husband discovered a spilled bucket of corn nearby, indicating that his wife may have been trying to feed the elk when the tragedy occurred.

Following the attack, the victim was initially rushed to Kingman Regional Medical Center for treatment. However, due to the severity of her injuries, she was later transferred to Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas, where she was placed into a medically induced coma. Unfortunately, after eight days, she succumbed to her injuries and passed away on Friday. The Clark County Coroner's Office has ruled the incident as an accident.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department noted that this marked the first documented fatal elk attack in the state. However, over the past five years, there have been five reported elk attacks in Arizona, including a 2021 incident where a woman suffered serious head injuries.

In response to the tragic incident, local authorities have taken action. They have gone door-to-door in the local area, putting up warning signs to alert residents against approaching or feeding elk. The department stressed the importance of keeping wildlife wild and cautioned that feeding wildlife can lead to them losing their natural fear of humans and becoming dependent on unnatural food sources.

"Feeding puts at risk the person doing the feeding, their neighbors, and the wildlife itself. Please do not feed wildlife," the department emphasized.

The loss of life serves as a tragic reminder of the importance of respecting the boundaries between humans and wildlife. The incident reinforces the need to avoid engaging with wild animals in a way that compromises their natural instincts and behaviors. The Arizona community mourns the loss of the woman and hopes that this incident prompts increased awareness and caution when encountering wildlife in the future.