Camping in the Hoh Rain Forest of the Olympic National Park in Washington brought me far too close to a wild encounter with an elk. The Roosevelt Elk is one of the largest elk among the types that roam in the United States. One of these bulls came waltzing right by our vehicle as we were unloading at the campground.
Talk about a close encounter, the elk then sat down under a tree next to the entryway and was there for at least an hour. This animal is regarded as one of the kings of the forest, even in the rainforests of North America. Find out more about the different types of elk that are both extinct as well as present on our landscapes today.
Types of Elk Extinct in the Wild
Let’s start with a brief look at the types of elk that are unfortunately no longer present in our ecosystem. These include the Merriam elk and Eastern elk. The Merriam elk is truly extinct, while the Eastern elk was replaced by the Rocky Mountain elk.
There is also the Irish elk, aka the giant deer, which was one of the biggest and oldest species of elk. The Irish elk is actually not from Ireland at all but from Siberia. Before we focus on individual species of elk, here is an interesting question. What is the difference between an elk and a moose?
Elk vs Moose
The elk is sometimes confused with the moose, as these are both large horned species of deer. The horns of the male elk and moose are both very big, spreading as wide as an adult is tall. These horn racks are much more pronounced compared to even the largest bucks of the whitetail deer species. You can find elk living in:
- North America
- Central Asia
- East Asia
- Europe
If you see a big animal that is larger than a deer with an expansive set of horns, it is either a moose or an elk. So, like that famous question of crocodile or alligator, how can you tell the difference between a moose and … Read the rest of the story.
No comments:
Post a Comment