SCIENTIFIC NAME: Cervus canadensis

The American elk is a wild deer considered by many authorities to be the same species as the European red deer. Elk are known to be great jumpers and are similar in appearance to the antelope, with graceful, elongated bodies, slender legs and short tails. Its antlers distinguish it from other ruminants. Male elk have a rack of antlers that are shed and regrown each year. The antlers may span more than 5 feet and are used as weapons in fights for females. Fur-covered skin (velvet) carries blood to the growing antlers, and in the fall the velvet dries up and the deer thrash their antlers. A female is smaller than a male and does not grow antlers. The elk’s coat is grayish brown, with a white patch on the rump.

Elks have been over hunted. and are now found only in Southern Canada, the Rockies, and in the Central Valley of California.