American Elk

• Scientific name: Cervus canadensis
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Artiodactyla
• Family: Cervidae
• Genus: Cervus
• Species: C. canadensis 

Fun Facts

• Elk are members of the deer family, which also include moose and caribou.
• Only the bull elk grows antlers. They are grown each year and shed, usually in late winter. Elk antlers can weigh 40 pounds for the pair.
• Elk feed primarily on grasses and woody plants.
• Elk are preyed upon by man, mountain lions (cougars), bears, wolves, and coyotes.
• There are about 1 million elk living in the United States.
• Elk are farmed in the United States for meat, and for the velvet that their antlers produce. The velvet is a primary ingredient for holistic medicines.
• Elk live 8 to 12 years.
• Elk can weigh from 500 pounds (cow) to 700 pounds (bull).