He’s back.

A young bull elk, affectionately named Roger by Rogers Cityans, first appeared in Rogers City last fall. He roamed the city and became a social media star before the Michigan Department of Natural Resources decided to coax him back to his herd in the woods.

The same elk — a little bigger — has returned and has been spotted in downtown Rogers City, in residential areas, and trotting along U.S.-23.

The DNR said it plans to leave Roger alone as long as he doesn’t cause any problems and people don’t cause any problems with him.

We encourage all Roger-spotters to make sure the animal stays wild by giving him the appropriate amount of space.

Both the DNR and the National Park Service say elk should only be viewed from a distance — like binocular viewing distance (federal law says to stay 50 yards away in national parks, and that seems like a good guideline here, too).

If an elk approaches you, slowly back away and just let the animal pass.

We would add that no one should feed Roger or try to pet him, and those with gardens should do what they can to keep Roger out of them, such as spraying homemade repellents made by mixing pepper, garlic, and water together.

While Roger’s visit is certainly exciting, wild animals have the best chance of survival in the wild. If they learn to live an urban life, they can lose the skills and instincts they need to stay healthy where they’re supposed to be.

So be sure to give Roger plenty of space until he rejoins his herd and lives the life he’s supposed to live.

(THE ALPENA NEWS)