The Roosevelt elk ( Cervus canadensis roosevelti), also known Common name as the Olympic elk and Roosevelt's wapiti, is the largest of the four surviving subspecies of elk ( Elk) in North America by body mass.[Dr. Mike Jenkins, 2005] Its geographic range includes temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest including parts of northern California. It was introduced to Alaska's Afognak Island, Kodiak Island, and Raspberry Islands in 1928[
][
] and reintroduced to British Columbia's Sunshine Coast from Vancouver Island in 1986.
Naming and protection
In December 1897, mammalogist C. Hart Merriam named the subspecies after his friend Theodore Roosevelt, then Assistant Secretary of the US Navy.
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 in length and stands
tall at the
withers.
Roosevelt elk bulls generally weigh between , while cows weigh .
Some mature bulls from Raspberry Island in
Alaska have weighed nearly .
[
]
Although the largest elk subspecies by body mass, by antler size both the Boone and Crockett (rifle)
Diet
From late spring to early fall, the Roosevelt elk feeds upon
, such as
and
Cyperaceae.
During winter months, it feeds on woody plants, including highbush cranberry,
Sambucus, devil's club, and newly planted seedlings (
Douglas fir and
western redcedar).
The Roosevelt elk is also known to eat
Fern,
Blueberry,
,
, and
salmonberry.
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.
In 2018, the New York State Zoo had a Roosevelt elk named Rosie die in August of that year at the
Ageing of 26, which means it was one of the oldest at that time.
Reintroduction
This elk subspecies,
Cervus canadensis roosevelti, was reintroduced to
British Columbia's Sunshine Coast from
Vancouver Island in 1986.
See also
Further reading
-
Merriam CH (1897). " Cervus roosevelti, a New Elk from the Olympics". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 11: 271–275. ( Cervus roosevelti, new species, "Roosevelt's Wapiti").
External links
