iAmerican and Siberian Elk (or Wapiti)
Conservation status
Least concern (LR/lc)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Suborder: Ruminantia Family: Cervidae Subfamily: Cervinae Genus: Cervus Species: C. canadensis
Binomial name
Cervus canadensis New species designate

Siberian and American Elk (Cervus canadensis), are the second largest species of deer in the world, after the Moose (Alces alces). Elk are also referred to as "Wapiti", which is from the Native American word waapiti, or "white rump" used by the Shawnee. Elk are widely distributed across North America and Eastern Asia, and have been transplanted to other countries such as New Zealand and Argentina. American Elk are not to be confused with the European animal also known as the Elk, which is the Moose of North America. Early European explorers to North America, who were familiar with the smaller Red Deer of Europe, believed that the much larger North American animal looked more like moose, which in Europe is called an elk. The renaming has become part of the common vocabulary of North Americans. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (860x578, 69 KB) wapiti or elk in meadow From http://images. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive. ... Image File history File links Status_iucn2. ... Least concern (LC) is an IUCN category assigned to species or lower taxa which do not qualify for any other category. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera Subregnum Eumetazoa Placozoa Orthonectida Rhombozoa Radiata (unranked) Ctenophora Cnidaria Bilateria (unranked) Acoelomorpha Myxozoa Superphylum Deuterostomia Chordata Hemichordata Echinodermata Chaetognatha Superphylum Ecdysozoa Kinorhyncha Loricifera Priapulida Nematoda Nematomorpha Onychophora Tardigrada Arthropoda Superphylum Platyzoa Platyhelminthes Gastrotricha Rotifera Acanthocephala Gnathostomulida Micrognathozoa Cycliophora Superphylum Lophotrochozoa Sipuncula Nemertea Phoronida Bryozoa Entoprocta Brachiopoda... {{{subdivision_ranks}}} See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... Orders Multituberculata (extinct) Palaeoryctoides (extinct) Triconodonta (extinct) Subclass Australosphenida Ausktribosphenida Monotremata Subclass Eutheria (excludes extinct ancestors) Afrosoricida Anagaloidea (extinct) Arctostylopida (extinct) Artiodactyla Carnivora Cetacea Chiroptera Cimolesta (extinct) Cingulata Creodonta (extinct) Condylarthra (extinct) Dermoptera Desmostylia (extinct) Dinocerata (extinct) Embrithopoda (extinct) Hyracoidea Insectivora Lagomorpha Leptictida (extinct) Litopterna (extinct) Macroscelidea Mesonychia (extinct) Notoungulata... Families Suidae Hippopotamidae Tayassuidae Camelidae Tragulidae Moschidae Cervidae Giraffidae Antilocapridae Bovidae The even-toed ungulates form the mammal order Artiodactyla. ... Families  Tragulidae  Moschidae  Cervidae  Giraffidae  Antilocapridae  Bovidae The biological suborder Ruminantia includes many of the well-known large grazing or browsing mammals: among them cattle, goats, sheep, deer, and antelope. ... Genera About 15 in 4 subfamilies. ... species See text. ... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Subfamilies Odocoilinae Cervinae Hydropotinae Muntiacinae A deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. ... Binomial name Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758) Moose range map The moose (so named in North America) or elk (in Europe), Alces alces, is the largest member of the deer family Cervidae, distinguished from the others by the palmate antlers of its males. ... An Aani (Atsina) named Assiniboin Boy. ... Distribution of the Shawnee language around 1650 The Shawnee language is a Central Algonquian language spoken in parts of central and northeastern Oklahoma by only around 200 Shawnee, making it very endangered. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... World map showing the location of Asia. ... Binomial name Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758) Moose range map The moose (so named in North America) or elk (in Europe), Alces alces, is the largest member of the deer family Cervidae, distinguished from the others by the palmate antlers of its males. ... Binomial name Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758 Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), known as Elk in North America, are the second largest species of deer in the world, after Alces alces (the moose or, in Europe, elk). ...

Until recently, the elk and the European Red deer (Cervus elaphus) were considered the same species, but recent DNA evidence has demonstrated that they are different species. According to the study, another even more closely related species to the elk than the red deer is the sika deer (Cervus nippon) of Asia. Binomial name Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758 Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), known as Elk in North America, are the second largest species of deer in the world, after Alces alces (the moose or, in Europe, elk). ... The general structure of a section of DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions for the biological development of a cellular form of life or a virus. ... Binomial name Cervus nippon Temminck, 1838 Subspecies The Sika Deer Cervus nippon is a typical member of the family Cervidae. ...

Elk are one of the largest mammals that inhabit North Asia (Southern Siberia, Mongolia), temperate Eastern Asia (including Manchuria, Ussuri Region, and Northern China), and much of North America. They have a unique mating ritual in which males perform posturing, antler wrestling and especially bugling, a loud series of screams designed to help attract females and to establish dominance over other males. Elk populations are currently increasing in North America, but population figures in Eastern Asia are not well established. In some parts of the world, where elk have been transplanted, they have proven to be highly adaptable and are considered to be an invasive species that may pose a threat to existing endemic species. Manchuria (Manchu: Manju; Traditional Chinese: 滿洲; Simplified Chinese: 满洲; pinyin: MÇŽnzhōu, Russian: ) is a vast territorial region in northeast Asia. ... The Ussuri River (Chinese: Wūsūlǐ Jīang 乌苏里江, Russian: река Уссури) is a river in south east Russia, flowing north, forming part of the Chinese border, to the Amur River. ... Lantana Invasion of abandoned citrus plantation; Moshav Sdey Hemed, Israel; May 2, 2006 The term invasive species refers to a subset of those species defined as introduced species or non-indigenous species. ...

Habitat

The Wapiti and Elk inhabit much of temperate Northern Asia, Eastern Asia, and North America. The most widespread are the Siberian and American Elk subspecies (Cervus canadensis canadensis). Today's populations are descended from a larger population of Wapiti that once inhabited Beringia (or Bering Land Bridge), a steppe region between Asia and North America that connected the two continents during the Pleistocene Ice Age. This is the same land bridge that brought animals such as wolves, wolverines, brown bears, caribou, and moose, and eventually Siberian/Native American peoples into North America (There are many similar species of animals that inhabit North Asia and North America to this day). As the Pleistocene Ice Age came to an end and as ocean levels began to rise, Wapiti migrated southwards either into Asia or North America. The Elk of North America were originally one of the most common land mammals occupying almost all habitats except for tundra, true deserts, and swamplands along the Gulf Coast. The Elk of southern Siberia and Central Asia are restricted to the higher elevations of the mountain ranges west of Lake Baikal such as the Sayan Mountains and Altai Mountains of Mongolia and the Tianshan Mountain region that border Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and China's Xinjiang Province.^[1] The habitat of Siberian Elk in Asia is similar to that of the Rocky Mountain Elk population in Western North America. It is unknown as to whether or not the Siberian Elk populations in the Mountainous areas west of Lake Baikal do migrate between higher and lower elevations like the Rocky Mountain Elk in North America. The Bering land bridge, also known as Beringia, was a land bridge roughly 1600 km (1000 miles) north to south at its greatest extent, which joined present-day Alaska and eastern Siberia at various times during the ice ages. ... Nautical chart of Bering Strait, site of former land bridge between Asia and North America The Bering land bridge, also known as Beringia, was a land bridge roughly 1600 km (1000 miles) north to south at its greatest extent, which joined present-day Alaska and eastern Siberia at various times... The Pleistocene epoch (IPA: ) is part of the geologic timescale. ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ... Binomial name Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758 Wolf redirects here. ... Binomial name Gulo gulo (Linnaeus, 1758) The wolverine (Gulo gulo) is the largest terrestrial species of the Mustelidae or weasel family, and is also called the glutton or carcajou. ... Binomial name Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758 The Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) is a species of bear that can reach weights of 130-700 kg (300 to 1500 pounds). ... Binomial name Rangifer tarandus The reindeer, known as caribou in North America, is an Arctic-dwelling deer (Rangifer tarandus). ... Binomial name Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758) Moose range map The moose (so named in North America) or elk (in Europe), Alces alces, is the largest member of the deer family Cervidae, distinguished from the others by the palmate antlers of its males. ... Siberian federal subjects of Russia Siberia (Russian: Сиби́рь, common English transliterations: Sibir, Sibir; possibly from the Mongolian for the calm land) is a vast region of Russia and northern Kazakhstan constituting all of northern Asia. ... Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, Amerindians, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ... Siberian Federal District (dark red) and the broadest definition of Siberia (red) Udachnaya pipe Siberia (Russian: , Sibir; Tatar: ) is a vast region of Russia constituting almost all of Northern Asia. ... The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ... The Sayan Mountains (Russian, Sayanskiy Khrebet) is a mountain range in southern Siberia, Asia, forming the eastern continuation of the Sailughem or Altay range, stretching from 89° E to 106° E. Orographically they are the N border-ridge of the plateau of NW Mongolia, and separate that region from Siberia. ... For the republic in Russia, see Altai Republic. ... The Tian Shan (Chinese: 天山; Pinyin: Tiān Shān; celestial mountains) mountain range is located in Central Asia, in the border region of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of western China. ... For the county in Shanxi province, see Xinjiang County. ...

There are two smaller subspecies that inhabit China known as the Manchurian Wapiti (Cervus canadensis xanthopygos) and the Alashan Wapiti (Cervus canadensis alashanicus) that inhabit temperate forests of Eastern Asia. Both are forest adapted animals similar in ecology to European Red Deer. Manchurian Wapiti (also known as Manchurian Red Deer) occupy taiga and mixed deciduous forests of much of the Russian Far East (Ussuri Region and Yakutia, Eastern Mongolia, Manchuria, Northeastern China, and Korea, and they hybridize with the larger Siberian Elk near Lake Baikal north of Mongolia. The Alashan wapiti (also known as Alashan Red Deer) inhabits the mixed forests in the mountains and hills of Northern/Central China. Binomial name Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758 Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), known as Elk in North America, are the second largest species of deer in the world, after Alces alces (the moose or, in Europe, elk). ... The Ussuri River (Chinese: Wūsūlǐ Jīang 乌苏里江, Russian: река Уссури) is a river in south east Russia, flowing north, forming part of the Chinese border, to the Amur River. ... The Sakha (Yakutia) Republic (Russian: Респу́блика Саха́ (Яку́тия); Yakut: Саха Республиката) is a federal subject of... Manchuria (Manchu: Manju; Traditional Chinese: 滿洲; Simplified Chinese: 满洲; pinyin: MÇŽnzhōu, Russian: ) is a vast territorial region in northeast Asia. ... Korea (Korean: 한국 or ì¡°ì„ , see below) is a geographic area, civilization, and former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. ... The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ...

All Wapiti subspecies, along with Sika Deer and some Central Asian Red Deer subspecies at one time, have been raised on deer farms for their antlers in Central and Eastern Asia. Binomial name Cervus nippon Temminck, 1838 Subspecies The Sika Deer Cervus nippon is a typical member of the family Cervidae. ... Binomial name Cervus affinis New species designate The Central Asian Red Deer (Cervus affinis) (also known as Asian Red Deer and Himalayan (or Tibetan) Red Deer) is one of three species of Red Deer that consist of five known isolated populations (subspecies) of primitive red deer that live in the...

Appearance

Roosevelt Elk on Redwood Creek gravel bar, in Redwood National and State Parks, California.

The Elk is a large ungulate (hoofed animal) and is a ruminant, eating their food in two stages and having an even number of toes on each hoof, similar to camels, goats and cattle. American and Siberian Elk (Cervus canadensis canadensis) at one time were divided into several subspecies, but both are very similar in their physical features (i.e., coat pattern and color, antler sructure, behavior, and smell) and in their DNA. The largest of the American and Siberian Elk subspecies (Cervus canadensis canadensis) is the Roosevelt Elk (roosevelti race) population found west of the Cascade Range in the U.S. states of California, Oregon and Washington. The Roosevelt Elk males have also been transplanted into sections of Alaska, where they have been recorded as weighing up to 591 kilograms (1,300 lbs).^[2] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x900, 363 KB) Summary Roosevelt Elk Description: Roosevelt Elk (Cervus elaphus subsp. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1200x900, 363 KB) Summary Roosevelt Elk Description: Roosevelt Elk (Cervus elaphus subsp. ... The Coastal redwood is the tallest tree species on Earth. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Llamas such as this, which have two toes, are artiodactylas -- even toed ungulates Ungulates (meaning roughly hoofed or hoofed animal) make up several orders of mammals, of which six to eight survive. ... Families Antilocapridae Bovidae Cervidae Giraffidae Moschidae Tragulidae A ruminant is any hooved animal that digests its food in two steps, first by eating the raw material and regurgitating a semi-digested form known as cud, then eating the cud, a process called ruminating. ... Species Camelus bactrianus Camelus dromedarius Camels are even-toed ungulates in the genus Camelus. ... Species See Species and subspecies The goat is a mammal in the genus Capra, which consists of nine species: the Ibex, the West Caucasian Tur, the East Caucasian Tur, the Markhor, and the Wild Goat. ... Binomial name Bos taurus Linnaeus, 1758 Cattle (often called cows in vernacular and contemporary usage, or kye as the Scots plural of cou) are domesticated ungulates, a member of the subfamily Bovinae of the family Bovidae. ... Mount Adams in Washington The Cascade Range is a mountainous region famous for its chain of tall volcanoes called the High Cascades that run north-south along the west coast of North America from British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to the Shasta Cascade area of northern California. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Official language(s) None Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) None Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area  Ranked 18th  - Total 71,342 sq mi (184,824 km²)  - Width 240 miles (385 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 6. ... Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area  Ranked 1st  - Total 663,267 sq mi (1,717,855 km²)  - Width 808 miles (1,300 km)  - Length 1,479 miles (2,380 km)  - % water 13. ...

There are two smaller subspecies being the Manchurian Wapiti (Cervus canadensis xanthopygus) and the Alashan Wapiti (Cervus canadensis alashanicus) that inhabit Eastern Asia. The Manchurian Wapiti is a forest animal that is darker and more reddish than the Siberian and American Elk (Cervus canadensis canadensis). The Alashan Wapiti of Northern/Central China is the smallest and least known of all subspecies.

At birth, the newborn elk calf weighs 35 pounds (16 kg). After a few years, elk cows average 500 pounds (225 kg), stand 4-1/2 feet (1.3 m) at the shoulder, and are 6-1/2 feet (2 m) from nose to tail. In North America, Male Elk are called Bulls, and female Elk are called cows. In Asia, Stag and hind are sometimes used to refer to male and female Elk. Bulls are more than 25% larger than cows at maturity, weighing in at an average of 700 pounds (315 kg), stand 5 feet (1.5 m) at the shoulder and are 8 feet (2.4 m) in length.^[3] Elk and Wapiti calves born in the Spring are spotted at birth. Adult Siberian and American Elk lose all their spots by adulthood. Some forest adapted subspecies such as Manchurian Wapiti occasionally retain a few spots on the backs of their summer coats as adults. This trait is also seen in some subspecies of European Red Deer and Central Asian Red Deer. Binomial name Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758 Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), known as Elk in North America, are the second largest species of deer in the world, after Alces alces (the moose or, in Europe, elk). ... Binomial name Cervus affinis New species designate The Central Asian Red Deer (Cervus affinis) (also known as Asian Red Deer and Himalayan (or Tibetan) Red Deer) is one of three species of Red Deer that consist of five known isolated populations (subspecies) of primitive red deer that live in the...

Only the males have antlers which start growing in the spring and are shed each year, usually at the end of winter. The largest antlers may be as much as 1.2 meters (4 ft) long and weigh 18 kilograms (40 lbs).^[4] Antlers are made of bone which can grow at a rate of 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) a day and a soft covering known as velvet helps to protect newly forming antlers in the spring. Adult elk may have 6 or more tines (finger-like extensions) on each antler, however the number of tines has little to do with the age or maturity of a particular specimen. All Elk and Wapiti have a 6 prong plan (6 tines on each antler) with a large bez (second) tines with a bend after the third tine. The Siberian and American Elk (Cervus canadensis canadensis) carry the largest antlers and Manchurian Wapiti (Cervus canadensis xanthopygus) from Manchuria carry the smallest antlers (in proportion to body size).^[5] The antlers are testosterone driven and as their testosterone levels drop in the fall, the velvet is shed and the antlers stop growing.^[6] For the Poet Laureate of Milwaukee, see Antler (Poet). ... Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group. ...

During the fall, all elk grow a thicker coat of hair which helps to insulate them during the winter. Both male and female Siberian and American Elk also grow thick neck manes at this time. Siberian and American Elk also grow the longest and thickest neck manes of all Red Deer species and subspecies. Male Alashan and Manchurian Wapiti also grow neck manes. However, females of these two subspecies resemble female Red Deer hinds and do not grow neck manes. All Wapiti have large clearly defined rump patches with short tails. By the time summer begins, the heavy winter coat has been shed, and elk are known to rub against trees and other objects to help remove hair from their bodies. Elk also have different coloration based on the seasons and types of habitats, with grey or lighter coloration prevalent in the winter and a more reddish and darker coat in the summer.^[7]. Siberian and American Elk have lighter yellowish-brown to orangish-brown coats in contrast to dark brown hair on the head, neck, and legs during the summer. Manchurian and Alashan Wapitis, during the summer months, have foxy-red and reddish-brown coats with less contrast between the body coat and the rest of the body (head, neck, legs, rump patch). Binomial name Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758 Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), known as Elk in North America, are the second largest species of deer in the world, after Alces alces (the moose or, in Europe, elk). ...

Behavior

American elk bugling spectrogram,
— Play audio (OGG format, 25kB),
— Play audio (wav format).

Adult elk usually stay in single-sex groups for most of the year. During the mating ritual, called the rut, mature bulls compete for the attentions of the cows (female elk) and will then try to defend cows that they attract. Rival bulls (male elk) challenge opponents by bellowing and walking in parallel. This allows combatants to assess each other's antlers, body size and fighting prowess. If neither bull backs down a clash of antlers can occur, and bulls sometimes sustain serious injuries.^[8] Image File history File links Download high resolution version (898x278, 54 KB) Summary Based on the sound file Image:American Elk Bugling. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (898x278, 54 KB) Summary Based on the sound file Image:American Elk Bugling. ... The Rut is the period of time when antlered ungulates, such as deer, sheep, elk, moose, caribou, ibex, goats, pronghorn and Asian and African antelope, mate. ...

Dominant bulls follow groups of cows during the rut, from August into early winter. The bulls may have as many as 20 females to keep from other less attractive males.^[9] Only mature bulls hold harems (groups of hinds) and breeding success peaks at about 8 years of age. Bulls 2-4 years old rarely hold harems and spend most of the rut on the periphery of larger harems, as do bulls over 11 years old. Young and old bulls that do acquire a harem hold it later in the breeding season than those bulls in their prime. Harem holding bulls rarely feed and lose up to 20% of their body weight. Bulls that enter the rut in poor condition are less likely to make it through to the peak conception period.^[8]

Male elk have distinctive "bugling" which can be heard for miles, and is used to keep his harem of females together. Bugling is often associated with an adaptation to open environments such as parklands, meadows, and savannas where sound can resonate from afar. The females are initially attracted to those males that both bugle most often and have the loudest bugle call. Males also use the bugle call when competing with other males for females during the rut, and along with other forms of posturing and antler fights, is a method used by the males to establish dominance.^[10] Bugling is most common during the early dawn and late evening.

Breeding, gestation and lifespan

Female "cow" nursing young.

Elk mating patterns usually involve a dozen of more mating attempts before the first successful one. There may be several more matings before the bull will seek out another mate in his harem. Females in their second autumn can produce one and very rarely two offspring per year. The gestation period is 240 and 262 days and the offspring weigh between 15 and 16 kilograms (33 to 35 lbs). After two weeks, calves are able to join the herd and are fully weaned after two months.^[11] Female offspring outnumber male offspring more than two to one and all elk calves are born spotted, as is common with many deer species, and lose their spots by the end of summer. The offspring will remain with their mothers for almost one full year, leaving around the time that the next season offspring are produced.^[10] The gestation period is the same for all subspecies. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1800x1200, 770 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Red Deer User:MONGO/Elk (Cervus elaphus) ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1800x1200, 770 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Red Deer User:MONGO/Elk (Cervus elaphus) ... Sevenspotted Lady Beetles mating In biology, mating is the pairing of opposite-sex or hermaphroditic internal fertilization animals for copulation and, in social animals, also to raise their offspring. ... Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. ...

Elk live up to over 20 years in captivity and average 10 to 13 years in the wild, though some subspecies that have less predation pressure average 15 years.^[12]

DNA studies on Cervus (Red Deer, Asian Red Deer, and Wapiti) subspecies

Bull Elk on a captive range in Nebraska. These elk are originally from the Rocky Mountain herds and their behavior patterns are modified due to being in captivity, where less environmental pressures occur.

Biologists have until recently stated that Red Deer and Elk are the same species, namely Cervus elaphus, based on fertile hybrids that have been produced under captive conditions. Animal behavior is generally different in captivity than in the wild, and the assumption that the same results would happen in the wild as in captivity is not necessarily the best test methodology to determine speciation. Recent DNA studies conducted on hundreds of samples from Red Deer and Elk subspecies determined that there are three distinct species and divides them into the East Asian/North American Red Deer (Elk or Wapiti) (Cervus canadensis), Central Asian Red Deer (Cervus affinis), and European Red Deer (Cervus elaphus). Additionally, the DNA evidence also supports that there are three species of Red Deer. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2816x2112, 2830 KB) Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), also known as Wapiti or Elk bulls File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Red Deer User:MONGO/Elk User:MONGO... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2816x2112, 2830 KB) Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), also known as Wapiti or Elk bulls File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Red Deer User:MONGO/Elk User:MONGO... Official language(s) English Capital Lincoln Largest city Omaha Area  Ranked 16th  - Total 77,421 sq mi (200,520 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 0. ... Charles Darwins first sketch of an evolutionary tree from his First Notebook on Transmutation of Species (1837) Speciation is the evolutionary process by which new biological species arise. ...

Recently, DNA evidence has supported the division of the Cervus elaphus (Red Deer) species into two and possibly three separate species.^[13] The previous species classification had over a dozen subspecies of related animals under the Cervus elaphus species name, however the DNA evidence proves that elk are more closely related to Central Asian Red Deer and even the Sika Deer (Cervus nippon) than they are to the European Red Deer (Cervus elaphus). Though elk and red deer can produce fertile offspring under controlled circumstances, geographic isolation between the subspecies as well as modifications to mating behavior due to habitat and other influences, indicates that reproduction between the red deer and the elk in the wild would be far less likely to occur than would reproduction within their own subspecies.^[5] Binomial name Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758 Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), known as Elk in North America, are the second largest species of deer in the world, after Alces alces (the moose or, in Europe, elk). ... Binomial name Cervus affinis New species designate The Central Asian Red Deer (Cervus affinis) (also known as Asian Red Deer and Himalayan (or Tibetan) Red Deer) is one of three species of Red Deer that consist of five known isolated populations (subspecies) of primitive red deer that live in the... Binomial name Cervus nippon Temminck, 1838 Subspecies The Sika Deer Cervus nippon is a typical member of the family Cervidae. ... Binomial name Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758 Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), known as Elk in North America, are the second largest species of deer in the world, after Alces alces (the moose or, in Europe, elk). ...

Elk are believed to number over 1 million in North America and maybe half that many more in east Asia and as transplants in places like New Zealand, Argentina and Chile. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has identified the Alashan Wapiti subspecies (Cervus canadensis alashanicus) of Elk as being without enough data to establish its endangered status.^[14] The World Conservation Union or International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... The critically endangered Amur Tiger, a rare subspecies of tiger. ...

Protection from predators

Male Elk retain their antlers for more than half the year and are more gregarious and less likely to group with other males when they have antlers. The antlers provide self defense as does a strong front-leg kicking action which is performed by both sexes when attacked. Once the antlers are shed, bulls tend to form bachelor groups which allow them to cooperatively work together. Herds tend to have one or more members watching for potential danger while the remaining members eat and rest.^[10]

After the rut, females form large herds of up to 50 individuals. The newborn calves are kept close to the hinds by a series of vocalizations between the two, and larger nurseries have an ongoing and constant chatter during the daytime hours. When approached by predators, the largest and most robust females may make a stand, using their front legs to kick at their attackers. Guttural grunts and posturing is used with all but the most determined of predators with great effectiveness. Aside from man, Wolf and coyote packs and the solitary Mountain lion, are the most dangerous of predators that most elk and wapiti encounter. Occasionally, the Brown bear, grizzly and the American black bear will predate on elk as well.^[10] Major predators in Asia include wolves, dholes, brown bears, Siberian tigers, Amur leopards, and snow leopards. Eurasian Lynx and wild boars sometimes prey on the calves of Wapiti in Asia. Binomial name Canis lupus Linnaeus, 1758 The Gray Wolf (Canis lupus; also spelled Grey Wolf, see spelling differences; also known as Timber Wolf or Wolf) is a mammal in the order Carnivora. ... Binomial name Canis latrans Say, 1823 The coyote (Canis latrans, meaning barking dog) also prairie wolf [2]) is a member of the Canidae (dog) family and a relative of the domestic dog. ... Binomial name Puma concolor (Linnaeus, 1771) The puma (Puma concolor) is a type of large cat found in North, Central and South America. ... Binomial name Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758 Ursus arctos range map. ... // For other uses, see Grizzly Bear (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780 The American black bear (Ursus americanus), also known as the cinnamon bear, is the most common bear species native to North America. ... Binomial name Cuon alpinus (Pallas, 1811) The Dhole (Cuon alpinus) is a species of wild dog of the Canidae family. ... Trinomial name Panthera tigris altaica Temminck, 1844 The Siberian tiger (also known as the Amur, Korean, Manchurian, or North China tiger) is the largest and most powerful subspecies of naturally occurring feline. ... Trinomial name Panthera pardus orientalis Schlegel, 1857 The Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis), whose habitat is currently confined to the Sikhote-Alin mountains, is the northernmost subspecies of leopard. ... Binomial name Uncia uncia Schreber, 1775 Synonyms Panthera uncia The Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia [1] or Panthera uncia [2]), also known in some instances as the Ounce, is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of central and south Asia. ... Binomial name Lynx lynx (Linnaeus, 1758) The Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx) is a medium-sized cat of European and Siberian forests, where it is one of the major predators. ... Binomial name Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758 The Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) is the wild ancestor of the domesticated pig. ...

Distribution and habitat

Audubon's Eastern Elk.

Cervus genus ancestors of elk first appear in fossil records 12 million years ago during the Pliocene in Eurasia but do not appear in the North American fossil records until about 12,000 years ago, when they crossed the Bering land bridge.^[15][16] An extinct species, known as the Irish Elk (Megaloceros) was not an elk at all, but simply the largest member of the deer family known from the fossil record.^[17] Image File history File links Audobon-eastern-elk. ... Image File history File links Audobon-eastern-elk. ... John James Audubon John James Audubon[1] (April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851) was a Franco-American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter. ... species See text. ... In biology, a genus (plural genera) is a taxonomic grouping. ... The Pliocene epoch (spelled Pleiocene in some older texts) is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5. ... Eurasia African-Eurasian aspect of Earth Eurasia is the landmass composed of Europe and Asia. ... Nautical chart of Bering Strait, site of former land bridge between Asia and North America The Bering land bridge, also known as Beringia, was a land bridge roughly 1600 km (1000 miles) north to south at its greatest extent, which joined present-day Alaska and eastern Siberia at various times... Binomial name Megaloceros giganteus (Blumenbach, 1799) The Irish Elk (Megaloceros giganteus or Megaceros, more properly a subgenus[1]) is an huge extinct deer (the largest species of deer to have ever lived) that lived in Eurasia, from Ireland to China, during the Pliocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene epochs. ...

Over time, several groups of elk in North America became isolated from one another, forming distinct behavioral characteristics to suit the environment. Over predation of many elk brought the eastern variety of elk (canadensis race) to extinction, and the Merriam's elk (merriami race) of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico eventually succumbed to extinction around 1900.^[18] In the early 1900s concerned sportsmen foresaw the eventual demise of many game animals and sought, and implemented, hunting seasons and limits, which saved many species which would have otherwise perished.

Elk are one of the largest game animals found in Asia and North America. They live in open forest and near forest boundaries in similar environment as other deer species such as moose, caribou, the Siberian Roe Deer in Asia, and the Mule Deer and White-tailed Deer in North America. In mountainous regions, they are known to inhabit high elevations during the summer, and in winter they gather at lower altitudes. The highly adaptable elk also inhabit arid regions in North American such as the Great Basin. The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Eucalyptus Forest at Swifts Creek in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. ... Binomial name Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758) Moose range map The moose (so named in North America) or elk (in Europe), Alces alces, is the largest member of the deer family Cervidae, distinguished from the others by the palmate antlers of its males. ... Binomial name Rangifer tarandus The reindeer, known as caribou in North America, is an Arctic-dwelling deer (Rangifer tarandus). ... Binomial name Capreolus pygargus Pallas, 1771 Subspecies C. p. ... Binomial name Odocoileus hemionus (Rafinesque, 1817) The Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) is a deer whose habitat is in the western half of North America. ... Binomial name Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann, 1780 The White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), also known as the Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer found throughout most of the continental United States, southern Canada, Mexico, Central America and northern portions of South America as far south as Peru. ... A mountain is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain in a limited area. ... Drainage map showing the Great Basin in orange Various Definitions of the Great Basin (NPS) The Great Basin is a large, arid region of the western United States. ...

Elk are found throughout North America, especially in the Rocky Mountain region. Reintroduced elk in Appalachian region of the eastern United States where the now extinct Eastern elk (canadensis race) once lived, have dispersed from Kentucky, North Carolina and Tennessee, into the neighboring states of Virginia and West Virginia, and these herds appear to be growing steadily in population.^[19] As of 1989, population figures for Rocky Mountain Elk (nelsoni race) alone were 782,500 and estimated numbers for all North American subspecies exceeded 1 million.^[20] Prior to European colonization of North America, there were an estimated 10 million elk on the continent.^[3] Moraine Lake, and the Valley of the Ten Peaks, Banff National Park, British Columbia, Canada The Rocky Mountains, often called the Rockies, are a broad mountain range in western North America. ... This article is about the modern area called Appalachia. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... This article is the current U.S. Collaboration of the Week. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Largest metro area Nashville Area  Ranked 36th  - Total 42,169 sq mi (109,247 km²)  - Width 120 miles (195 km)  - Length 440 miles (710 km)  - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area  Ranked 41st  - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 240 miles (385 km)  - % water 0. ...

Elk were introduced to Argentina in the early 20th century and are considered a nuisance animal there for the most part. The highly adaptable elk have encroached on habitat in Argentina, and use up food supplies that normally would be consumed by the indigenous Huemul deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) and other herbivores.^[21] This negative impact on native animal species has led the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources to identify the elk as one of the worlds 100 worst invaders.^[22] In New Zealand, and to a much lesser degree in Australia, introduced elk have adapted well, and hunting is extensive.

Migration

Elk wintering in Jackson Hole, Wyoming after migrating there during the fall.

Elk migration in the lower 48 states of the United States has been, for many decades, the largest migration of mammals since the near extermination of the Bison in the late 1800s. What is known as the Yellowstone herd numbers up to 10,000 individuals. Each fall, the elk in Montana and Idaho as well as northern Wyoming begin a migration that has been a seasonal occurrence for thousands of years. Prior to the establishment of the town of Jackson, Wyoming, the herd would migrate south through Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks as well as surrounding National Forests through where the town of Jackson now resides and into grasslands more than 160 kilometers (100 miles) to the south. However, since the town now impedes this natural migration route, most of the herd spends the winter at a much higher altitude than they historically did. Just outside the town limits, the National Elk Refuge was established, and conservationists there ensure the herd is well fed during the harsh winters.^[23] Image File history File links Wapiti_on_the_National_Elk_Refuge. ... Image File history File links Wapiti_on_the_National_Elk_Refuge. ... Jackson Hole is a valley in the U.S. state of Wyoming. ... To be more accessible to a general audience, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Species B. antiquus B. bison B. bonasus B. priscus Bison is a taxonomic genus containing six species of large even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. ... Yellowstone National Park is a U.S. National Park located in the western states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... To be more accessible to a general audience, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Jackson is a town located in the Jackson Hole valley of Teton County, Wyoming. ... Grand Teton National Park is a United States National Park located in western Wyoming, south of Yellowstone National Park. ... This article is on national forests in the United States. ... The National Elk Refuge, which was created in 1912 to promote the survival of the elk herd, lies northeast of the Town of Jackson, Wyoming. ...

Health issues

Brainworm (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis) is a parasitic nematode that has been known to affect the spinal cord and brain tissue of elk, leading to death. The nematode has a carrier in the White-tailed Deer, in which it usually has no ill effects, but it is carried by snails, which are inadvertently consumed during grazing.^[24] Chronic Wasting Disease affects the brain tissue in elk, and has been detected throughout their range in North America. First documented in the late 1960s in Mule Deer, the elk affected have been on game farms and in the wild in a number of regions. Elk that have contracted the disease begin to show weight loss, increased watering needs, disorientation, listlessness, and at an advanced stage the disease leads to death. The disease is similar to, but not the same as Mad Cow Disease and no dangers to humans have been documented, nor has the disease been demonstrated to pose a threat to domesticated cattle.^[25] Brucellosis is another disease that occasionally affects Red Deer in North America, but is much more common in Bison. Parelaphostrongylus tenuis or brainworm is a small parasitic nematode that infects the brain of many ungulates. ... Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) of deer and American elk (wapiti). ... Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or commonly mad cow disease) is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease of cattle, which infects by a mechanism that shocked biologists on its discovery in late 20th century and appears transmissible to humans. ...

Elk in folklore

The Elk is depicted in pictographs and petroglyphs throughout North America.^[26] Pictogram for public toilets A pictogram or pictograph is a symbol representing an object or concept by illustration. ... Petroglyphs on Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument, southern Utah, USA Petroglyphs are images incised in rock, usually by prehistoric, especially Neolithic, peoples. ...

Elk products

Bull Elk in the early spring are shedding their heavy winter coats and their antlers are covered in velvet in this early stage of growth.

Elk are held in captivity for a variety of reasons. In some circumstances, hunting interests set aside game farms, where hunters can pay a fee and be essentially guaranteed a chance to shoot an elk, as they are fenced in and have less opportunity to escape. Elk meat is not generally harvested for human consumption on a large scale, though specialty restaurants seasonally offer elk meat which is widely considered to be both flavorful and nutritious. Elk is higher in protein and lower in fat than either beef or chicken.^[27] In some countries in central Asia, elk is still hunted as a primary source of meat. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1577x877, 425 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Red Deer User:MONGO/Elk (Cervus elaphus) Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1577x877, 425 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Red Deer User:MONGO/Elk (Cervus elaphus) Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... A representation of the 3D structure of myoglobin, showing coloured alpha helices. ... For other uses, see Fat (disambiguation). ... A cut of beef. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The elk can produce 22 to 25 pounds (10 to 11 kg) of antler velvet annually and on ranches in the United States, Canada and New Zealand, this velvet is collected and sold to markets in east Asia, where it is used for holistic medicines, with South Korea being the primary consumer. The antlers themselves are also believed by east Asians to have medicinal purposes and is often ground up and used in small quantities. The antlers are also highly sought after worldwide for decorative purposes and have been used for artwork, furniture and other novelty items. Holistic health is a medical philosophy of well-being that considers the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of life as closely interconnected and balanced. ...

See also

• Red Deer - European Red Deer
• Central Asian Red Deer - Asian/Himalayan/Tibetan Red Deer
• Sika Deer
• Thorold's Deer

Binomial name Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758 Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), known as Elk in North America, are the second largest species of deer in the world, after Alces alces (the moose or, in Europe, elk). ... Binomial name Cervus affinis New species designate The Central Asian Red Deer (Cervus affinis) (also known as Asian Red Deer and Himalayan (or Tibetan) Red Deer) is one of three species of Red Deer that consist of five known isolated populations (subspecies) of primitive red deer that live in the... Binomial name Cervus nippon Temminck, 1838 Subspecies The Sika Deer Cervus nippon is a typical member of the family Cervidae. ... Thorolds deer has the scientific name Cervus Albirostris Przewalski. ...

External links

• Red deer in New Zealand

• Elk Hunting in Montana at EcoRover blog

References cited

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Cervus elaphus