The Stately Beauty Of Elk
One of the first mammals I photographed as a wildlife photographer was Elk. Photos of Elk can be taken fairly easily in Rocky Mountain National Park as well as in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. They are absolutely huge animals. The best time to find and photograph the big bucks is in the fall rut (mating season), which is at the end of September.
Their big antlers are weapons and it's best to photograph them from a distance with a large telephoto lens. One doesn't need an Elk thinking you are challenging it during the mating season. Their bugling that is calling to the females is fascinating to hear and watch.
Habitat and Facts About North American Elk.
North American elks are large deer-like animals that live in the forests of North America. They grow to about 5 feet tall at the shoulder and can weigh up to 700 pounds. Elk have a brown coat that they shed in the summer, and their antlers are made from bone and cartilage. Did you know that elk have been hunted for thousands of years? Or that today, they’re a threatened species?
What is an elk?
An elk is a large deer-like animal that lives in the forests of North America. Elk have a brown coat that they shed in the summer, and their antlers are made from bone and cartilage.
How big are elks?
The average elk is 5 feet tall at the shoulder and weighs about 700 pounds. They can grow to be 4.5 meters in height, but they're rarely this large. Elks are also called wapiti, which means "white rump" due to the white streak on their hindquarters. Elks have adapted to different climates throughout history by migrating or becoming extinct in some areas. The Rocky Mountain elk lives in the western United States, while the Eastern elk lives in Eastern North America.
Elks are related to deer and moose, all of which belong to the deer family known as Cervidae. Elks have large antlers that are made of bone and cartilage. They shed their antlers once a year when they grow out so they can replace them with new ones later in life. Elk antlers start growing in March or April and then stop growing at some point between July and September when they're fully grown
What color is their fur?
Elk have a brown coat that they shed in the summer, and their antlers are made from bone and cartilage.
What do they eat?
Elk eat mainly grass and other plants, but they also enjoy eating berries and leaves.
Why are they hunted?
Elks have been hunted for thousands of years because they provide a nutritious source of food. They are hunted for their meat, skins, and antlers. The elk was often considered a symbol of prosperity because it provided so much sustenance. Elk are also the largest member of the deer family in North America. The males can grow to about 5 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh up to 700 pounds. But elk are becoming threatened due to habitat destruction, poaching, and disease.
How threatened are they today?
Today, elks are a threatened species. Elk populations in Canada and the US have declined significantly since the 19th century. In North America, there is only one species of elk: Cervus Canadensis. While this species has been hunted for thousands of years, today they’re under threat from habitat destruction and fragmentation, hunting, and land development.
Summary
Elk are large, ungulate mammals that live in North America and parts of Asia. They are hunted for their meat and fur, and they symbolize the state animal of Wyoming and Washington. Elks live in valleys and lowlands and can survive in both hot and cold climates. They are herbivores that eat grass, shoots, leaves, twigs, mosses, lichens, bark, flowers, berries, shrubs, aquatic plants, herbs, small thistles, corn, and wheat. Elks are hunted for their antlers in some cultures. Their population has declined at an alarming rate in recent years, so much so that they are considered vulnerable or endangered in many locations. There are many fascinating facts about elk that you might not have heard before.
