ELK IVORY TB

I obviously prefer the cool mountains. I'm an adventurous young cow & love to "migrate". I would like to see as much of the great Rocky Mountains as possible, so please help me from cache to cache up & down the high country. If possible, I would also like to meet other elk. (Pictures of them are acceptable if the real ones are not available at the time.)

The elk, or wapiti (Cervus canadensis), is the second largest species of deer in the world and one of the largest mammals in North America. In the deer family, only the moose is larger. Wapiti are almost identical to red deer found in Europe, of which they were long believed to be a subspecies; they have recently been determined to be a distinct species based on DNA evidence.

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 New Zealand and Argentina. Male elk have large antlers which are shed each year. Males engage in ritualized mating behaviors during the rut, including posturing, antler wrestling and bugling, a loud series of screams which establishes dominance over other males and attracts females. The bugle call is one of the most distinctive calls in nature.

Some cultures revere the elk as a spiritual force. In parts of Asia, antlers and their velvet are used in traditional medicines. Elk meat is leaner and higher in protein than beef or chicken.

The males are called Bulls and the females are Cows. Their young are calves.