The Elk

The elk is one of the largest members of the deer family, after the moose. Measuring 1.5 meters at the shoulder and with males averaging 320 kg in weight, these majestic deer live in forests, forest edges, mountains, and semi-deserts, adapting easily to various parts of the world: in the United States, Canada, Siberia, Mongolia, Manchuria… to the point that the elk is considered an invasive species in Chile, Argentina, Ireland, etc… where humans have introduced it thoughtlessly.

A good swimmer, a good runner, resistant to harsh winters thanks to a thick fur that it sheds in spring, the elk grazes on plants, leaves, and bark. The large males can have antlers of over a meter wide with multiple points; antlers that they shed every year after the rut.

The dominant male defends a herd of about twenty females that give birth to a fawn each year, weaned at two months. As a mythical animal for indigenous peoples, the elk provides them, in addition to its meat and antlers, its hide which is used as leather for clothing and to cover tipis. Predators include cougars, wolves, and bears in America, and dholes, bears, Siberian tigers, and leopards in Asia.