![]() ![]() A mature bull (Male elk) can weigh over 500 km (1000 pounds), and a cow (Female elk) about two-thirds that size. Among all other species, Roosevelt elk are larger in size with larger and more rugged antlers. The University of Victoria estimates that approximately 3,200 Roosevelt elk exist in BC, and its number on Vancouver Island is about 3,000. Roosevelt elk (Roosies, as the locals know them) are indigenous to Vancouver Island, and they are the only species that can be found on the island. Four subspecies of elk inhabit North America, and two of them live in British Columbia Roosevelt elk and Rocky Mountain elk (with lighter-coloured than their bigger-bodied cousin, the Roosevelt elk). Over several decades, harvests have ranged from 500 to 4000 animals per year. Primary predators include American black bear, grizzly bear, cougar, gray wolves and coyotes.Elks are important game animals in British Columbia, prized for their meat and antlers. Other sources include diseases, parasites and malnutrition due to weather conditions, food supply and food quality. The primary threat to elk is hunting and predation. In the fall individual herds begin to form large herds for rut which then break into smaller groups as male seek out and defend cow groups or harems. During the spring migratory elk will disperse into smaller groups as they reach intermediate elevations and yearling and 2-year-old males tend to leave joining bull groups once calving starts. The largest groups tend to form in winter and early spring. Cow groups however tend to be more cohesive than bull groups. Habitat, predators, forage, population density, breeding activities and weather influence herd patterns. Herds are not consistently composed of the same individuals. Social Behavior and InteractionĮlk are gregarious and remain in herds throughout the year. Calves are fully weened by two months and will remain with their mother for nearly one year. Gestation is 240-262 days usually single birth with calves weighing 35 lbs. Female elk are sexually mature at age two and have a short estrus cycle, 1-2 days. The period is known as the rut where mature bull (male) elk compete for and defend a group of cows (female) called a harem. The mating period for elk begins in early September and typically runs for 10-12 weeks. LifespanĮlk live up to 15 years in the wild and 20 or more years in captivity. DietĮlk are primarily grazers, feeding on native grasses supplementing on forbs and tree sprouts in the summer and tree bark in the winter. Velvet is shed once the antlers are fully developed. While actively growing antlers are covered by velvet, a highly vascularized soft layer of skin. Antlers are shed in early spring and grow throughout the summer. During winter elk grow thicker hair and a thin neck mane that shed by early summer. Elk also have clearly defined buff colored rumps and small tail. Elk have a dark reddish hue during the summer and a lighter grayish hue in the winter. Shoulder height: Males, 5 ft (1.5 m) Females, 4.5 ft (1.3 m)Įlk are one of the largest members of the Cervidae family. Length: Males, 8 ft (2.4 m) Females, 6.5 ft (2 m) elaphus nannodes) once roamed the valleys of northern and central California and are now managed by state and federal agencies on California public land. elaphus manitobensis) are found primarily in the provincial and national parks of Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan however they were once found along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains through Colorado. ![]() The Rocky Mountain elk is the second largest elk subspecies which Idaho has the third largest population behind Montana and Colorado. elaphus Roosevelt) is the largest and ranges along the Pacific coast from northern California to Washington and Canada. There are four extant subspecies of elk found in North America. Elk prefer open woodlands, coniferous swamps, clear cuts, aspen-hardwood forests and coniferous-hardwood forests. They migrate to lower elevations, open forests and floodplain marshes in the winter. During the summer elk are found in subalpine forests and alpine basins. Within North America Rocky Mountain elk can be found in the Rocky Mountains and adjacent ranges of western United States and Canada. ![]()
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