DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
Lives in the wetlands of northern Eurasia and North America.
BEHAVIOUR
They are most active at sunrise and sunset. Spend most of the day eating and lying down for the rumination of food. They are good swimmers and also can dive. Elk are able to run through dense forests with average speeds at 9.6 km/hr. They weights from 270 to 600 kg with lengths from 2.4 to 3.1 m (male are heavier than females). Lifespan: up to 25 years.
DIET
It feeds on vegetative parts of trees and shrubs, bark, herbs, and aquatic plants.
REPRODUCTION
Elk breed in May and June of each year. Gestation period last 231 days, female give birth to one or two infant. Only females take care of their young for a period of one year.
GOOD TO KNOW
They have a perfect sense of hearing and smell.
- Latin name: Alces Alces
- IUCN Red List – LC – Least concern
