Bull Elk in the herd
by Jeff Swan
Title
Bull Elk in the herd
Artist
Jeff Swan
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
The Roosevelt elk (Cervus canadensis roosevelti), also known as Olympic elk, is the largest of the four surviving subspecies of elk in North America.[1] They live in the rain forests of the Pacific Northwest and were introduced to Kodiak, Alaska's Afognak and Raspberry Islands in 1928.[2][3] The desire to protect the elk was one of the primary forces behind the establishment of the Mount Olympus National Monument (later Olympic National Park) in 1909.[4]
Contents [hide]
1 Description
2 Life cycle
3 See also
4 References
5 External links
Description[edit]
Adults grow to around 6–10 ft (1.8–3 m) in length and stand 2.5–5 ft (0.75–1.5 m) tall at the shoulder.[3] Elk bulls generally weigh between 700 and 1100 lb (300–500 kg), while cows weigh 575–625 lb (260–285 kg).[1] Some mature bulls from Raspberry Island in Alaska have weighed nearly 1300 lb (600 kg).[1]
From late spring to early fall, Roosevelt elk feed on herbaceous plants, such as grasses and sedges.[3] During winter months, they feed on woody plants, including highbush cranberry, elderberry, devil's club, and newly planted seedlings (Douglas-fir and western redcedar).[3] Roosevelt elk are also known to eat blueberries, mushrooms, lichens, and salmonberries.[3]
Life cycle[edit]
In the wild, Roosevelt elk rarely live beyond 12 to 15 years, but in captivity have been known to live over 25 years.[3]
Uploaded
January 8th, 2017
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