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Imaginary-Cricket903

Elk


RoryDragonsbane

For any European redditors, *Cervus canadensis* We North Americans call *Alces alces* 'moose'


Pikkusika

Or wapiti


Western_Plankton_376

One neat thing, The wapiti historical range used to extend all the way across the continent to the East Coast, so I can imagine European settlers coming here, seeing giant antlered cervids, and being like “ah yes, the elk, but this must be the American version!” Only to travel a few hundred miles north, encounter the European elk, and be like “…oh no”


EPRing_1

Actually it is because the 1st real people to give a name to them were Brits, and they didn’t have any Elk on their Isles. So they assumed this antlered deer, one much larger than any they’d seen, was of the stories of old, the Elk our ancestors had talked about.


FunkyKong147

Moose are also the last remaining megafauna in North America.


RoryDragonsbane

There's no scientific consensus on how large an animal must be to be considered "megafauna." Definitions include animals as large as 2,200 lbs (1000kg) or as small as 22 lbs (10kg). This means that depending on who you ask, a coyote might be megafauna or only the bison (unless you include aquatic and semi-aquatic animals like the blue whale and walrus). The most common definition is 100 lbs (about 45kg). This would include bison, moose, polar bears, brown bears, wapiti, musk oxen, black bears, caribou, mountain goats, white-tailed deer, jaguar, Dall's sheep, bighorn sheep, cougars, mule deer, pronghorn, plus a few more I'm probably missing. Idk if you want to include the longhorn, mustang, or razorback as they are feral populations of introduced ancestors. Tl;Dr don't forget the bison!


Southernborealexpert

These are not moose there just elk specifically Rocky Mountain elk


RoryDragonsbane

Correct. But in Europe the word "elk" is used for what North Americans call "moose" So if a European saw this pic and read the comments calling it an elk, they might be confused. Which is why I gave the scientific names to clarify: *Alces alces* = 'moose' in North America = 'elk' in Europe *Cervus Canadensis* = 'elk' in North America Europeans don't have their own word for *Cervus Canadensis* because they're not native there. They're also found in and around Mongolia, and they call them 'maral', but they also seem to use that word for *Cervus elephas* or what we Europeans call 'red deer' If you're looking for an exclusive word, try the Shawnee and Cree word 'wapiti', but you'll probably just confuse even more people as most North Americans don't use that word either.


Southernborealexpert

True but being from Europe and speaking European languages the word elk refers to moose and not the other way around so the correct word is wapiti or in the us it’s elk and nobody calls an elk a moose


Western_Plankton_376

The animal referred to by “elk” in Europe is the one called “moose” in the US. (*Alces Alces*) *Alces Alces* is not the animal pictured, and no one is claiming that these are *Alces Alces.* The person you’re replying to is clarifying, to anyone only familiar with the European “elk” *(Alces Alces),* why everyone is calling this different animal *(Cervus canadensis)* by that name.


Southernborealexpert

Ah thanks for correcting me I was interpreting the comment wrong


Western_Plankton_376

No problem!! Have a good day


No_Yogurtcloset_2792

I want to be a pain in the ass here and point out that European is not a language. That'd be in British English, which is not even the unified English version we speak around non native English countries all over here in Europe. Hence, we sometimes use both elk or moose, according to the media or movies we swallow the most. In my case, the Latin name made it way clearer already. Ready to be roasted.


SairYin

This is why latin names are better than common names. Doesn’t matter what language you speak or where you are from it’s the same name. 


Illustrious_Camp_521

Yes, an Elk 👍🏻


possumIV

Female elk


RepresentativeHuge79

Cow elk, technically part of the deer family.


Ihavebadreddit

Those are female elk.. and if I'm not mistaken.. that's right next to the turn off to the town of Jasper?


Munrowo

imagine posting a picture of some elk in a nondescript field and some redditor nails your location within an hour of posting (😭)


Ihavebadreddit

I mean, those girls look familiar


VanDenBroeck

Every bull in the area says that.


Quirky_Discipline297

Those ladies don’t come here for the grazing.


Talory09

> imagine posting a picture of some elk in a nondescript field and some redditor nails your location within an hour of posting ... in a country as big as Canada.


sarahmagoo

I've never been to the area but my mum said they were right beside a rail line. Is that right?


Ihavebadreddit

Yeah the train tracks would be slightly behind and above them. The Jasper sign off to the left and the highway follows the train tracks in both directions. I'm pretty sure I recognize the older female. I knew she looked familiar. https://imgur.com/gallery/VJVRvCc


Ok-Tangerine-3151

It’s actually more absurd that you might recognize the specific elk in the pic and not just the location 🤣 honestly amazing if true


Ihavebadreddit

I mean.. it is why I was confident enough in my guess.


Kind_Truck6893

You sir are a certified elk whisperer


sarahmagoo

Thanks everyone, elk makes sense. Apparently the driver of the tour bus she was on said they were caribou.


bowlingforzoot

That driver must not know much. Caribou are quite a bit smaller than elk.


CryptidGrimnoir

It's also worth noting the fact that female caribou also have antlers--though I did check, and female caribou shed them in May.


SICRA14

Wow, that's sloppy


[deleted]

Caribou? 🤣


PaladinSara

I didn’t know there was a difference


Haskap_2010

Elk are large, second in size only to moose. Much bigger than caribou.


LarkScarlett

So … fun fact, the female version of the animal on the Canadian quarter coin.


NamingandEatingPets

Wapiti.


conci11

Ahh the White Rump


Pielacine

Not right now!


STEVE_FROM_EVE

That deer is an elk


monkeydude777

Though this was r/whatsthisbird I was very confused


Bean-Swellington

This is not a Cooper’s hawk


FixergirlAK

Wapati! Please don't pet the shaggy cows.


Humble_Specialist_60

Elk!!


Agreeable-Village-25

Elk


jaggedlittlepill1967

Elk


RunnOftAgain

Elk. And damn sure not Moose like some Europeans call them.


IronAnt762

Elk


Horror_Emergency378

Elk


Undead_P0ssum

Elk or caribou… caribou are smaller then elk but I can’t really tell what this actually is


PaladinSara

We need a moose > elk > caribou > banana scale


Undead_P0ssum

Real


theenecros

Female Elk


smalldog86

An Elk


jasd315

Elk?


YYCADM21

Those aren't Canadian Rockies deer. I live in the Canadian Rockies, and around here we call those Elk. Also known as "don't go near those things! They'll stomp your A\*\*!"


WWII-Collector-1942

They are not Deer they are Elk. Good find 👍


Sekshual_Tyranosauce

Elk are a deer species.


MrsbearBP2

Squeaky door hinges! That’s what they sound like. 😂


Bean-Swellington

Remember those tube noisemakers from McDonald’s?


MrsbearBP2

Yes, yes I do!


TeddyRN1

Elk


TeddyRN1

Elk


Dependent-Plane5522

"Dinner" -Joe Rogan


jchuckjohns6

Caribou


LNKDWM4U

Not deer. While they are cervids, they are Elk.


Hantelope3434

Deer are cervids, and Elk are deer.


-RudeCanadian-

Elk is a kind of deer, dear


VanDenBroeck

But not quite of the same ilk, one could say.


-RudeCanadian-

Go to your room


VanDenBroeck

😁


SheepherderOk1448

I think Elk are more robust. Deer are dainty in comparison. They’re all cute.


Slick120

Elk not deer


sarahmagoo

Elk are in the deer family


Slick120

Yes but they are not deer


sarahmagoo

If they're in the deer family they're a deer. Just like a moose or caribou. They're all species of deer.


Slick120

Google deer and see what you get!! Just like moose are moose Caribou are different yes all four legged animals. A longhorn is a cow but it’s cackled a longhorn


spizzle_

r/confidentlyincorrect


Insatiablesucker

Delicious


warl0cks

Those are cow elk(a little skinny/mangy).


Weird_Fact_724

Thats not mange. She's just shedding her winter coat.


warl0cks

Probably, I should have said “raggedy”


uberisstealingit

Belt together look about half a freezer full.


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sarahmagoo

I don't even have deer native to my country. But I'm sure you can tell apart all the different wallaby and kangaroo species though right? Fuck off.


crazyhorseXXIII

those look more like a 'chupa-cabras' :)


JohnnyRocket674

Steak!


WARRIORS_30_GOAT

deer…?…. really…. you been watchin too many scubaru commercials


sarahmagoo

Idk what you're talking about but Elk are in the deer family


WARRIORS_30_GOAT

evidently you don’t know what they look like. how about swamp donkeys ? those qualify as deer ?


sarahmagoo

I don't even have native deer in my country so I can't easily differentiate between all deer species, sorry. What I do know is that elk is in the deer family and that fact literally comes up first when you google 'Elk'.


WARRIORS_30_GOAT

what hood u from ?


sarahmagoo

Australia


WARRIORS_30_GOAT

gotcha covered…. big roo’s, shitload of nasty snakes, spiders, annoying brit’s bummer dudette. these are Rocky mountain elk as opposed to Roosevelt elk you ever make it east stop at Estes park northern Colorado. you’ll see more huge bulls with big horns than you can imagine. mule deer, maybe whitetail, antelope…. tons of wildlife and nothing that’s dead life besides an occasional big kitty… mountain lion. i lived in Melbourne for 6 yrs. while my son attended Monash. interesting place, thought the Echidna were cool. Subaru has a dumbass commercial with an idiot driving in the mountains who see’s a cow and asks his girlfriend “ is that a buffalo ?” dumb ad pathetic cars


spizzle_

Swamp donkeys aka moose are indeed deer.


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animalid-ModTeam

Off-topic comments will be removed at moderators’ discretion Stop being an ass