Elizabeth Doherty, age 9, of Barre, Vt., for her question:
HOW LARGE IS THE AMERICAN ELK?
Elk is a common name that is given to two separate members of the deer family. One kind, called the American elk, lives in North America while the other, which looks a lot like the American moose, lives in Europe. The male American elk stands five feet tall at the shoulder and weighs up to 1,000 pounds. The female is a bit smaller.
Scientists call the American elk the wapiti. But the early colonists gave the animal the "elk" label, even though it wasn't the same animal as the European variety. The name stuck, however, and American elk is the name most commonly used for the animal today.
The male, called a bull, has antlers that can spread to more than five feet in width. They grow during the summer months and are shed as winter sets in. The female, called a cow, has no antlers.
At one time the American elk was found all across the United States and in the southern part of Canada. Through the years, however, hunters have killed so many that now they can be found only in parts of the country west of the Rocky Mountains.
In an effort to re establish the American elk in the eastern part of the country, some herds have been started in parts of New Hampshire, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and South Dakota.
The largest herds of American elk living today are found in the area of Montana's Sun River, Yellowstone National Park and in the Olympic Mountains of Washington state.
Bulls fight for the right to be the leader of a herd that can include as many as 60 cows. In September or October of each year, males actually lock horns to see which animal will be the boss.
Elk travel from meadows in the high mountains to lower levels as the winter approaches. In spring they move back to the higher reaches.
A cow will usually give birth to one calf in May or June. The baby is light brown and has many white spots on its fur. In August, the young one has a change of coats and the spots are gone.
Elk feast on grasses, pine needles, juniper and twigs from hardwood trees and various shrubs.
Enemies of the American elk, in addition to man, include the wolf and the cougar. Bears and coyotes can kill ailing adults and calves.
The European elk is the same kind of animal as the American moose. This is a giant animal that stands six feet tall at the shoulder and weighs as much as 1,400 pounds. Its antlers are also shed each winter.
The European elk is usually a solitary animal, although occasionally it will join a small band. It is found in the forests of Siberia, Sweden, Norway and the Baltic area.