Elk

Cervus canadensis

The image displays the phrase skʷ ag iˈčəd written in a stylized font, using phonetic symbols.
Two elk standing close together on grassy ground, with one elk featuring large antlers and the other without. Green foliage and trees are visible in the background.
Male elk have antlers, while female elk do not.

Big, tough herds

Elk are one of the largest members of the deer family—in North America, only moose are bigger. Elk are very hardy, tolerating snow and cold temperatures out in the open. They do shelter in forests to avoid predators and hunters, especially when raising their young.

Elk Range

Based on 2015 official IUCN range
World map showing elk range highlighted in dark green, covering parts of western North America and several areas in central and eastern Asia. Map is labeled Elk Range, Based on 2015 official IUCN range.

Meet The Elk

A close-up of an elk with shaggy brown fur, standing outdoors with a blurred green forest background. The elk is facing left and its ears are alert.

Buttons

Female, born May 2012.

A close-up of an elk standing outdoors, looking to the left with trees blurred in the background and light raindrops visible in the air.

Lily

Female, born June 2019.

Two elk stand close together in a sunlit forest, looking at each other with their noses almost touching. Lush green trees fill the background.

Willow

Female, born June 2018.

A young elk with patchy, shedding fur stands in front of a background of green foliage, looking slightly to the side.

Holly

Female, born May 2022 (Dakota Zoo).

A young elk with velvet-covered antlers is lying down on green grass, facing right, surrounded by lush green foliage in the background.

Huckleberry

Male, born Aug. 2022 (Dakota Zoo).

Status and self-defense

Male elk grow a new set of antlers every year. They use their antlers to fend off predators and battle each other for mating privileges. Each herd is led by a dominant female, though, and all elk can defend themselves with powerful kicks of their sharp hooves.

Two elk stand on their hind legs facing each other, appearing to spar, while a herd of elk rests and grazes in a rocky, snow-dusted landscape in the background.

Diet: Grasses, flowering plants, and tender shoots of shrubs and trees.

Range: North America, found in forests, meadows and mountain regions of the west.

A young elk with brown fur and a shaggy neck stands outdoors, looking slightly to the side. The background is blurred greenery.
Buttons moved to our zoo in 2019.

Letting nature be nature

The trouble with taking in wild animals

Buttons was a wild elk who was thought to be orphaned as a calf. She was hand-fed and handled by local community members until she became partially tamed. When she reached her adult weight of 500 pounds, it was clearly dangerous for Buttons to be living in town. Her lack of fear put her—and the people she lived among—at risk.

Neither tame nor wild

As our population grows and our cities expand, black bears and people come into contact more often. Sometimes conflicts happen— especially when food is involved. Living in the Northwest means we need to make good choices that keep both people and bears safe.

A large herd of elk grazing and wandering across a snow-dusted field, with dry grass and patches of snow visible on the ground.

Consider what wildlife needs

Elk and deer mothers hide their young in the grass while they feed nearby. If you discover baby animals in springtime, it is best to leave them where they are.

Don’t try to tame wild animals. Call the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife or a licensed rehabilitation facility instead.

A mother elk lies in tall green grass, gently nuzzling her young calf, who is also lying beside her. The background shows an open field under a hazy sky.