![]() Others have home ranges of several hundred square kilometres, of which they use different parts during different seasons. Some in fact have home ranges of only a few square kilometres. Although they may travel widely, each elk is strongly attached to certain localities within its home range. However, elk populations today occupy forest or parkland regions, where small groups averaging six or seven animals are common.Įlk are long-lived animals: males survive to an average of 14 years, whereas females live as long as 24 years. The herd lifestyle is characteristic of animals that live in open country. They are seldom found without other elk nearby. Signs and soundsĮlk are sociable animals. Other red deer, smaller and belonging to several subspecies, are found throughout the northern hemisphere: in Scotland and continental Europe, in North Africa, and in Asia. "Wapiti," meaning "white rump," is the Shawnee Indian name and the common name preferred by scientists, because the animal known as an "elk" in Europe is not a red deer at all but a close relative of the North American moose. "Elk" is the name by which most Canadians know this majestic deer. Newly cleaned antlers are light grey in colour but become stained by rubbing and thrashing through vegetation during the rutting season. In later summer, the velvet is rubbed from the fully grown antlers, revealing the bony structure. Antlers look particularly large in summer when they are encased in velvet-a covering that protects them during growth. It is amazing that these large structures are grown new each year by the animals in a period of a few months in spring and summer. Male elk are notable for their impressively large antlers. Elk have long, blackish hair on the neck that is referred to as a mane. In contrast to the rump, the head and neck are dark. Although it looks white from a distance, on closer inspection the rump colour is ivory to orange. The colour of the elk’s coat ranges from reddish brown in summer to dark brown in winter. Cows are substantially smaller but still have a shoulder height of 135 cm and an adult weight of around 250 kg. An adult bull elk stands about 150 cm tall at the shoulder and weighs about 300 to 350 kg, although some large bulls approach 500 kg in late summer before the rut, or breeding season. Among Canadian deer, they are second in size only to the moose. In general appearance elk are obviously kin to the well-known white-tailed deer. Please add your quality photos to this page.The North American elk, or wapiti, is the largest form of the red deer species Cervus elaphus. The material contained in this ablum and its attached pages are a compliation of many sources found on the internet as well as the own personal observations and life experiences of this author. The Rocky Mountains are home to such jems as Montana's Glacier National Park, Canada's Banff, Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park and The Tetons just to name a few. Although many others would disagree there are many who agree with this statement. Numerous mountain ranges combine to produce some of the most incredible mountains in the world. North America's Continental Divide travels north to south through the Rocky Mountains. These pages are not about the mountains where these incredible animals call home. Much has been written about the uncomparable Rocky Mountains. The Rocky Mountains are home to the animals I am familiar with. Young mammals must be quick learners and rely upon instinct to live to an old enough age to pass on their genes and lessons learned to their offspring. Climate, terrain and other factors weigh heavily on each animal and they must learn to mitigate each factor in order to survive. No other place is as harsh as the mountain environment when considering the risks that each animal must take just to survive. A balance of both populations indicates a healthy ecosystem. In the cycle of life predators and prey play supporting roles to each other.
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