Elk are large members of the deer family. The Native American name for these animals is Wapiti. In the 1900s, elk conservation became necessary in North America because elk populations had dwindled to roughly 1 percent of their original population.
Elk can grow up to 5 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh as much as 700 lbs. They are herbivorous, hoofed mammals that breed in autumn, a time also known as the "rutting season." During the rut, bulls (male elk) fight for harems of cows (female elk). Bulls use their antlers, which shed and grow back annually, to fight each other. Sometimes these fights result in death.
The western elk that currently exist in Pennsylvania are descendants of elk from Yellowstone National Park. Pennsylvania started buying these elk in 1913 in order to build up a population of these animals in the state. The western elk in Pennsylvania are not indigenous to the state. There was once a population of eastern elk in Pennsylvania, but the species disappeared from Pennsylvania by the 1870s and is now extinct.
In contrast to elk, white-tailed deer are the smallest of the North American deer. They may grow to be more than 7 feet tall, including the antlers, and weigh as much as 300 lbs. Male white-tailed deer (bucks) compete for females during the rut, at which time they use their antlers.
White-tailed deer are impressively agile animals. They can run as fast as 40 miles per hour. They can also jump more than 9 feet.
White-tailed deer get their name from the white coloring of the underside of their tails. They lift their tails when they are in danger, flashing the white. White-tailed deer fawns are reddish brown in color with white spots on their backs.
The white-tailed deer has been Pennsylvania's state animal since 1959. It is one of the most important game animals in Pennsylvania. The white-tailed deer population in Pennsylvania is indigenous to the area, like the extinct eastern elk.
