Elk treponeme-associated hoof disease, previously thought to be limited to deformations in elks' hooves, appears to create molecular changes throughout the animal's system, according to epigenetic research from Washington ...
Veterinary medicine
Sep 28, 2023
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0
In northern Yellowstone National Park, saplings of quaking aspen, an ecologically important tree in the American West, are being broken by a historically large bison herd, affecting the comeback of aspen from decades of over-browsing ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 29, 2023
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129
The recent capture and euthanizing of Los Angeles's well-known mountain lion P-22, whose numerous injuries were likely the result of being hit by a car, has highlighted the need for safe wildlife crossings in cities and other ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 22, 2022
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130
It would seem inevitable that an increase in predators would lead to a decline in the prey they eat—and the chances of success for hunters.
Plants & Animals
Oct 27, 2022
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27
A disease in elk that causes deformed hooves and eventually leads to lameness and death is also associated with abnormal, asymmetrical antlers, a Washington State University-led study of hunter reports has found.
Plants & Animals
Jun 1, 2022
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31
There is perhaps nothing more evocative of the American West than herds of elk, mule deer or pronghorn moving freely across the landscape. And a new series of detailed maps reveals their migration pathways—thanks to a team ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 7, 2022
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20
Animals in the wild are often smarter than we give them credit for. This time it's the elk.
Plants & Animals
Feb 16, 2022
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719
It's an environmental success story that feels like a parable—the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone National Park in the mid-1990s triggered a cascade of effects that ultimately restored the ecosystem, including the ...
Ecology
Nov 12, 2021
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2323
Wildlife officials in Colorado say an elusive elk that has been wandering the hills with a car tire around its neck for at least two years has finally been freed of the obstruction.
Ecology
Oct 12, 2021
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17
"Ornaments composed of elk teeth suspended from or sown on to clothing emit a loud rattling noise when moving," says auditory archaeologist and Academy of Finland Research Fellow Riitta Rainio from the University of Helsinki. ...
Archaeology
Jun 3, 2021
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818
various Cervus elaphus subspecies
The elk or wapiti (Cervus canadensis) is one of the largest species of deer in the world and one of the largest land mammals in North America and eastern Asia. In the deer family (Cervidae), only the larger moose (Alces alces), which is called an "elk" in Europe, and the sambar (Rusa unicolor) rival the elk in size. Elk are similar to the Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) found in Europe, of which they were long believed to be a subspecies. However, evidence from a 2004 study of the mitochondrial DNA indicates they are a distinct species.
Elk range in forest and forest-edge habitat, feeding on grasses, plants, leaves, and bark. Although native to North America and Eastern Asia, they have adapted well to countries where they have been introduced, including Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand. Their great adaptability may threaten endemic species and ecosystems into which they have been introduced.
Male elk have large antlers which are shed each year. Males also engage in ritualized mating behaviors during the rut, including posturing, antler wrestling (sparring), and bugling, a loud series of vocalizations which establishes dominance over other males and attracts females.
Elk are susceptible to a number of infectious diseases, some of which can be transmitted to livestock. Efforts to eliminate infectious diseases from elk populations, largely through vaccination, have had mixed success.
Some cultures revere the elk as a spiritual force. In parts of Asia, antlers and their velvet are used in traditional medicines. Elk are hunted as a game species; the meat is leaner and higher in protein than beef or chicken.
This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA
