Locals identify kissing elk as neighborhood mascot "Buttons"

CLE ELUM — A mystery elk doling out love and kisses to emergency crews battling a raging wildfire in Kittitas County Saturday has been identified by locals as "Buttons".

In a tweet Saturday night, county officials posted a photo of the elk leaning in to smooch a crew member. Officials said the elk made the rounds, greeting firefighters and officers with love, affection and a whole lot of cute.

After KIRO 7 shared the county’s photo to its Facebook page, users who said they were familiar with the elk attested to her identity.

"Buttons!" wrote Facebook user Kristin Wheaton. "I'm glad to see her I haven't seen her in about a wk. and a half. I was getting worried."

Others simply recognized the elk from passing.

"That's the elk that hangs around the compound where they have the chimps!" wrote Kay Roland in a comment.

If the elk is Buttons, here's a bit of background information you should know, according to a Sept. 2, 2015 profile from the Daily Record.

Meet Buttons, your friendly neighborhood elk

According to the Daily Record, Buttons is a local mascot who overcame the odds.

"She showed up here when she was little and adopted the goats and horses as her family, and she just stayed around," Chane Roghair told the Daily Record News.

The elk was orphaned when she was little and took refuge in the hillside area.

"She's actually really friendly," Roghair said. "I think everybody in the county knows her."

The Daily Record said that elk often wander through the area, but Button never joins up with them — she prefers nuzzling up to her human friends, and sometimes, chimps.

Apparently, Buttons makes frequent visits to the nearby chimpanzee sanctuary.

The chimps are like her pets," said J.B. Mulcahy, co-director of the sanctuary, told a group visiting the sanctuary on July 25. "She sits and watches."

Read more of the Daily Record's profile on Buttons by clicking here.

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