BC Conservation Data Centre: Species Summary
Cervus elaphus
Elk
| Scientific Name: | Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758 | ||||||||||
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| Scientific Name Synonyms: |
Cervus canadensis
Cervus elaphus |
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| English Name: | Elk | ||||||||||
| Classification / Taxonomy | |||||||||||
| Scientific Name - Concept Reference: | Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 2005. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Third edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. Two volumes. 2,142 pp. [As modified by ASM the Mammal Diversity Database (MDD) at https://www.mammaldiversity.org/index.html] | ||||||||||
| Classification Level: | Species | ||||||||||
| Taxonomy Comments: | April 11, 2013 - Changed from C. canadensis to C. elaphus as per NatureServe (DDW). Jan. 2006 - changed to C. canadensis from C. elaphus as per NatureServe (DDW). |
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| Species Group: | Vertebrate Animal | ||||||||||
| Species Code: | M-CEEL | ||||||||||
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| Conservation Status / Legal Designation | |||||||||||
| Global Status: | G5 (Apr 2016) | ||||||||||
| Provincial Status: | S5 (Mar 2024) | ||||||||||
| BC List: | Yellow | ||||||||||
| Provincial FRPA list: | |||||||||||
| Provincial Wildlife Act: | |||||||||||
| COSEWIC Status: | |||||||||||
| SARA Schedule: | |||||||||||
| General Status Canada: | 4 - Secure (2005) | ||||||||||
| Ecology & Life History | |||||||||||
| General Description: | |||||||||||
| Global Reproduction Comments: | Mature males defend female herd during rut (September-October). Older dominant males do most of mating. Females breed at 2 years. Most births (late spring) are single, but twins are common. Gestation lasts 249-262 days. | ||||||||||
| Global Ecology Comments: | Home range of nonmigratory herd 1.8-5.3 sq km. Rarely moves more than 1600 m in one day. Exhibits high fidelity to home range, but may abandon it if excessively disturbed. Gregarious, though some bulls may be solitary. Calf predators include grizzly, black bear, and coyote. | ||||||||||
| Migration Characteristics: (Global / Provincial) | |||||||||||
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Nonmigrant: Local Migrant: Distant Migrant: Within Borders Migrant: |
N / Y / N / na / |
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| Global Migration Comments: | In mountainous regions, summers in alpine meadows, winters in valleys. On more level terrain, seeks wooded hillsides in summer, open grasslands in winter. Pacific coast populations are more sedentary than are those elsewhere. Migrates from areas with deep snow. Some individuals in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, migrate up to 97 kilometers annually (Adams 1982). | ||||||||||
| Habitats: (Type / Subtype / Dependence) |
Alpine/Tundra / Alpine Grassland / Unknown
Alpine/Tundra / Alpine/Subalpine Meadow / Unknown Anthropogenic / Urban/Suburban / Facultative - occasional use Forest / Conifer Forest - Dry / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Conifer Forest - Mesic (average) / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Conifer Forest - Moist/wet / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Deciduous/Broadleaf Forest / Facultative - frequent use Forest / Mixed Forest (deciduous/coniferous mix) / Facultative - frequent use Grassland/Shrub / Grassland / Facultative - frequent use Grassland/Shrub / Meadow / Facultative - frequent use Grassland/Shrub / Sagebrush Steppe / Facultative - occasional use Grassland/Shrub / Shrub - Natural / Facultative - frequent use Lakes / Lake / Facultative - occasional use Lakes / Pond/Open Water / Facultative - occasional use Other Unique Habitats / Avalanche Track / Facultative - occasional use Other Unique Habitats / Vernal Pools/Seasonal Seeps / Facultative - occasional use Riparian / Gravel Bar / Facultative - frequent use Riparian / Riparian Forest / Facultative - frequent use Riparian / Riparian Herbaceous / Facultative - frequent use Riparian / Riparian Shrub / Facultative - frequent use Rock/Sparsely Vegetated Rock / Cliff / Facultative - occasional use Rock/Sparsely Vegetated Rock / Rock/Sparsely Vegetated Rock / Facultative - occasional use Rock/Sparsely Vegetated Rock / Talus / Facultative - occasional use Wetland / Bog / Facultative - frequent use Wetland / Fen / Facultative - frequent use Wetland / Marsh / Facultative - frequent use Wetland / Swamp / Facultative - frequent use |
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| Global Habitat Comments: |
Variable according to location. Uses open areas such as alpine pastures, marshy meadows, river flats, and aspen parkland, as well as coniferous forests, brushy clear cuts or forest edges, and semi-desert areas (Tule elk). No special calving ground is used; calves are born in valleys or in areas as high as alpine tundra. Newborn initially may be hidden in rough terrain or dense cover. |
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| Food Habits: |
Herbivore: Adult, Immature
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| Global Food Habits Comments: | Much geographic and seasonal variation in diet. Primarily a grazer, but also consumes forbs (in summer, or in fall and winter in northern Great Plains region) and may browse on willow, aspen, oak, etc., where grasses are unavailable. Also commonly feeds on mushrooms, especially in late summer and fall (Great Basin Nat. 52:321). | ||||||||||
| Global Phenology: |
Circadian: Adult, Immature
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| Global Phenology Comments: | Active at night, but most active at dusk and dawn. Diurnal feeding is more common in summer than in winter. Feeding periods are more prolonged in winter, concentrated in morning and evening. Herds may bed down in meadows in afternoon and again after midnight to chew cud. | ||||||||||
| Provincial Phenology: (1st half of month/ 2nd half of month) |
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| Colonial Breeder: | N | ||||||||||
| Length(cm)/width(cm)/Weight(g): | 297/ / 495000 | ||||||||||
| Elevation (m) (min / max): |
Global:
Provincial: |
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| Distribution | |||||||||||
| Endemic: | N | ||||||||||
| Global Range Comment: | Holarctic; Eurasia and North America; Tunisia and northeastern Algeria; introduced in Morroco, South America, New Zealand, and Australia. Formerly widespread in North America, now mostly restricted to the West, with small reintroduced populations elsewhere. | ||||||||||
| Authors / Contributors | |||||||||||
| Global Information Author: | Hammerson, G. | ||||||||||
| Last Updated: | Apr 14, 1994 | ||||||||||
| Provincial Information Author: | |||||||||||
| Last Updated: | |||||||||||
| References and Related Literature | |||||||||||
Adams, A. W. 1982. Migration. Pages 301-321 IN Thomas, J. W., and D. E. Toweill. 1982. Elk of North America: ecology and management. Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA. 698 pp. |
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Armstrong, D. M. 1975. Rocky Mountain mammals. Rocky Mountain Nature Asscoc., Inc. 174 pp. |
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Banfield, A. W. F. 1974. The mammals of Canada. University of Toronto Press, Toronto, Canada. 438 pp. |
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Boyce, M.S. and L.D. Hayden-Wing (eds.). 1980. North American Elk: ecology, behavior, and management. 294 pp. |
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Boyce, M.S. and L.D. Hayden-Wing, eds. 1979. North American Elk: Ecology, Behavior, and Management. Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, v+294 pp. |
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Caire, W., J. D. Tyler, B. P. Glass, and M. A. Mares. 1989. Mammals of Oklahoma. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. Oklahoma. 567 pp. |
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Clutton-Brock, T. H., F. E. Guinness, and S. D. Albon. 1982. Red deer. Behavior and ecology of two sexes. University of Chicago Press, xxii + 378 pp. |
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Cronin, M. A. 1991a. Mitochondrial-DNA phylogeny of deer (Cervidae). J. Mamm. 72:533-566. |
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Cronin, M. A. 1992. Intraspecific variation in mitochondrial DNA of North American cervids. J. Mammalogy 73:70-82. |
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Franklin, W. L., A. S. Mossman, and M. Dole. 1975. Social organization and home range of Roosevelt elk. Journal of Mammalogy 56:102-118. |
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Glenn, T. C., and D. R. Smith. 1993. Genetic variation and the subspecific relationships of Michigan Elk (CERVUS ELAPHUS). Journal of Mammology 74: 782-792. |
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Harper, J. 1971. Ecology of Roosevelt elk. Oregon. 43 pp. |
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Houston, D. 1982. The North Yellowstone elk: ecology and management. McMillan. 474 pp. |
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Houston, D. B., et al. 1990. Elk in Olympic National Park: will they persist over time? Natural Areas Journal 10:6-11. |
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Jones, J. K., Jr., R. S. Hoffman, D. W. Rice, C. Jones, R. J. Baker, and M. D. Engstrom. 1992a. Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico, 1991. Occasional Papers, The Museum, Texas Tech University, 146:1-23. |
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Kraus, F., and M. M. Miyamoto. 1991. Rapid cladogenesis among the pecoran ruminants: evidence from mitochondrial DNA sequences. Systematic Zoology 40:117-130. |
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Maser, C., B. R. Mate, J. F. Franklin, and C. T. Dyrness. 1981. Natural history of Oregon coast mammals. Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Expt. Sta., USDA, Forest Service, Gen Tech. Rep. PNW-133:1-496. |
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Murie, O. J. 1951. The elk of North America. Stackpole Company, Harrisburg, PA. 376 pp. |
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Murie, O.J. 1966. The elk of North America. Harrisburg. 376 pp. |
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Thomas, J. W., and D. E. Toweill. 1982. Elk of North America: ecology and management. Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA. 698 pp. |
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Wemmer, C. M., editor. 1987. Biology and management of theCervidae: proceedings of a symposium. Smithsonian Inst. Press, Washington, D. C. 1000 pp. |
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Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (editors). 1993. Mammal species of the world: a taxonomic and geographic reference. Second edition. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC. xviii + 1206 pp. Available online at: http://www.nmnh.si.edu/msw/. |
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Please visit the website Conservation Status Ranks for definitions of the data fields used in this summary report.
Suggested Citation:
B.C. Conservation Data Centre. 1994. Species Summary: Cervus elaphus. B.C. Minist. of Environment. Available: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/eswp/ (accessed Mar 6, 2025).