Elk to be released in Missouri all pass health tests after quarantine

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The 34 elk that are to be reintroduced into Missouri have passed their health tests.

The Missouri Department of Conservation said the elk passed tests administered after a three-month quarantine at a conservation area in Kentucky.

The elk originally were scheduled to arrive in Missouri last Saturday, but were delayed until the health testing was completed. It was not immediately clear when the herd would arrive in Missouri.

The elk will be placed at the department's Peck Ranch Conservation Area in Southeast Missouri, which is part of a 346-square-mile elk restoration zone.

The animals will stay in a holding pen for up to two weeks before being released into the refuge, which will be closed to the public for a few months.