Roosevelt elk


The Roosevelt elk '', also known commonly as the Olympic elk and Roosevelt's wapiti, is the largest of the four surviving subspecies of elk in North America. Its geographic range includes temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest, extending to parts of northern California. It was introduced to Alaska's Afognak, Kodiak, and Raspberry Islands in 1928. The desire to protect the Roosevelt elk was one of the primary forces behind the establishment of the Mount Olympus National Monument in 1909 by President Theodore Roosevelt. Later in 1937 President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited the region and saw the elk named after his relative. The following year he created Olympic National Park.

Description

The Roosevelt elk grows to around 6–10 ft in length and stands 2.5–5.6 ft tall at the withers. Roosevelt elk bulls generally weigh between 700 and 1,100 lb, while cows weigh 575–625 lb. Some mature bulls from Raspberry Island in Alaska have weighed nearly 1,300 lb.

Diet

From late spring to early fall, the Roosevelt elk feeds upon herbaceous plants, such as grasses and sedges. During winter months, it feeds on woody plants, including highbush cranberry, elderberry, devil's club, and newly planted seedlings. The Roosevelt elk is also known to eat blueberries, mushrooms, lichens, and salmonberries.

Longevity

In the wild, the Roosevelt elk rarely lives beyond 12 to 15 years, but in captivity it has been known to live over 25 years.

Reintroduction

This elk subspecies, Cervus canadensis roosevelti, was reintroduced to British Columbia's Sunshine Coast from Vancouver Island in 1986.