Elk

Description:

Elk are big creatures, but smaller than the moose. They have a reddish brown coat of fur, with a large lighter colored patch of fur, near their rear, with short tails. Their coat of fur actually depends on where they live and their surroundings. Male elk have large antlers, which are shed every year. Their antlers can grow to be 1.2m long. Most elk stand about 1.3m high and weigh around 496-531lb.

Habitat:

The Albertan elk lives in Jasper's rocky mountains, in forested areas. They feed on grass, berries and twigs. The elk that live in the mountians have a slightly different body shape then those that don't.

Notes:

I was in Jasper with my class when I saw a group of these animals outside the bus. This Albertan elk also shares habitat with the Moose. The elk shares symbiosis, called parasitism, with the Fluke. The Fluke is a parasite that sucks the elks nutrients out of it's blood for it's own benefit. The elk is harmed by it. The elk grows a thinker coat of fur in the winter to keep it warm. In the summer it sheds the fur. The elk uses sexual reproduction, by having sex to make another elk.