Overview
This database has pages on 15 extant subspecies and 2 extinct subspecies of elk. The North American elk are the Rocky Mountain elk, Tule elk, Roosevelt elk, and Manitoban elk. The 2 extinct subspecies were also from North America and those are the Eastern elk and Merriam's elk. The Asian elk include the Altai Wapiti, Baikal Wapiti, Shingielt Red Deer, Tian Shan Wapiti, Manchurian Wapiti, Northern Manchurian Wapiti, Southeast Siberian Wapiti, Alashan Wapiti, Tibetan Red Deer, Sichuan Deer, and Kansu Red Deer. Until recently, elk/wapiti and red deer were considered to be one species, Cervus elaphus. However, mitochondrial DNA studies, conducted on hundreds of samples in 2004 from red deer and elk subspecies as well as other species of the Cervus deer family, strongly indicate that elk, or wapiti, should be a distinct species, namely Cervus canadensis. The previous classification had over a dozen subspecies under the C. elaphus species designation; DNA evidence concludes that elk are more closely related to Thorold's deer and even sika deer than they are to the red deer. Though elk and red deer can produce fertile offspring in captivity, geographic isolation between the species in the wild and differences in mating behaviors indicate that reproduction between them outside a controlled environment would be unlikely. However, the two species have freely inter-bred in New Zealand's Fiordland National Park, where the cross-bred animals have all but removed the pure elk blood from the area.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Cervidae
- Genus
- Cervus
- Species
- Cervus canadensis
Habitat
Sichuan deer primarily inhabit mountainous forests and grasslands in western China, especially in Sichuan and Tibet provinces. They prefer elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters, where they can find dense vegetation for cover and food. These areas often include mixed coniferous and broadleaf forests with nearby meadows.
Diet
Sichuan deer feed mainly on grasses, leaves, bark, and shrubs, acting as both grazers and browsers. They are most active at dawn and dusk, foraging in groups to cover more ground efficiently. In winter, they rely more on woody plants and bark when grasses are scarce.
Behavior
Sichuan deer are social animals that form herds of 10-50 individuals, with females and young staying together while males are more solitary except during the rut. They exhibit territorial behavior in males during the mating season, marking areas with scent glands. These deer are primarily crepuscular, active at dawn and dusk, and they migrate to lower elevations in winter to escape snow.
Conservation Status
The Sichuan deer is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN due to habitat loss from deforestation and human encroachment. Population trends show a decline, with major threats including poaching and fragmentation of their mountainous habitats.