Elk

Clashing with their antlers, the winner takes it all!

Andrew Russell

Even mammals have some sort of…Olympic sports.

No kidding. When male elks fight for dominance, they use their large antlers in a sort of wrestling fight. You can call it Elk-Do. The prize for the winner is no medal, no money but female attraction. That’s the reason why the winning elk is loud bugling vocals during and after the fight.

Elks range in forest-edge habitats feeding on grasses, plants, and leaves. They are endangered by diseases, habitat loss, and especially by hunting.

Can you believe it? Some people still find it worthy enough to hunt those noble and innocent elks…
Let us protest: poaching is not a sport. It is killing!

Distribution

Country
Population est.
Status
Year
Comments
Bhutan
2015
Canada
2015
China
2015
Italy
2015
Introduced
Kazakhstan
2015
Kyrgyzstan
2015
Mexico
Official estimate
EX
2015
Extinct 1900s
Mongolia
2015
New Zealand
2015
Introduced
Russia
2015
United States
>1,000,000
Official estimate
LC
2015

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Terrestrial / Aquatic

Altricial / Precocial

Polygamous / Monogamous

Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic

Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal

Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd

Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore

Migratory: Yes / No

Domesticated: Yes / No

Dangerous: Yes / No

Elk on banknotes

Lithuania 200 Talonas (1992)