The second-largest deer after the moose, native to North America and Central and East Asia. Its other name, wapiti, comes from a Shawnee and Cree word for "white rump". Males grow large antlers and shed them every year.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?No, herbivore
Dangerous?Can be
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Day & night
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?Yes
Hunted as game; its meat is leaner and higher in protein than beef or chicken.
At a glance
Found inNorth America, Asia, South America, New Zealand
HabitatForest
ColoursBrown, Tan
SizeLarge
Length1.6–2.7 m (nose to tail)
Height0.75–1.5 m at the shoulder
WeightMales 178–497 kg, females 171–292 kg
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives inherds
Lives for10–13 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- North America and Central, East and North Asia; introduced to Argentina and New Zealand.
- What it eats
- Grasses and sedges, plus leaves, twigs and bark.
- Conservation
- Least Concern (IUCN Red List)
Did you know
A rutting bull's bugle is a loud, high whistle that carries over great distances.
A bull’s bugle can reach 4,000 Hz, unusually high for such a large animal.
Wild elk average 10–13 years; in captivity they can live 20 years or more.
Often confused with
- Moose
In North America “elk” means a different species of deer. In British English “elk” means the moose.
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