Rare white elk 'could be shot after it charged at woman'

The beast 'may seem tame, but it retains its natural instincts,' says police chief

Ferdinand the white elk (Hans Nilsson)

A world-famous white elk may be shot after it reportedly charged at a woman in Sweden.

Authorities have said the rare animal, named Ferdinand, charged at a woman while she was walking her dogs and may have to be culled.

Ferdinand gained fame after footage of him went viral this summer.

Visitors descended on the area of Eda, in western Sweden, to catch sight of him and police were forced to warn people to keep clear of the animal.

Police chief Christer Lööf told hunting magazine Svensk Jakt: “Some people who live in the area don’t go out because of the elk, for example older people with walkers who cannot get away when the elk comes close to them.

“The elk may seem tame, but it retains its natural instincts.”

Hunters will first try to shepherd the up-to-475kg beast away from residential areas, before making a final choice on culling, The Local reported.

Nature photographer Ingemar Petersson told the site: “There is a lot of pressure on the area, and many photographers have behaved badly, but the elk is not aggressive.”

Advice about elk encounters from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said the animals normally "flee when they feel threatened but under certain circumstances, they can become aggressive".

They tend to become riled "especially in winter when they are hungry and tired of walking in deep snow, or when they are harassed by people, dogs, and traffic," it said.

Bulls may become aggressive during the mating season in late September and October, it added.

The Eurasian elk, alces alces, is known as a moose in North America.