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Pacific
Northwest
WILDLIFE
Bears
Bison
Coyote
Elk
Mountain Lion
Pronghorn
Wolf
FACILITIES
Canyon
Fishing Bridge
Grant
Madison
Mammoth
Norris
Old Faithful
Roosevelt
Tower
West Thumb
Map of Yellowstone NP
Map of
Surrounding Area
Communities
near Yellowstone NP
Belgrade, MT
Bozeman, MT
Gardiner, MT
Livingston,
MT
Red Lodge, MT
Virginia
City, MT
West
Yellowstone, MT
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Yellowstone
National Park Wildlife
Elk

The elk, or cervus elaphus, has
frequented the Yellowstone area for more than 900 years. The most
abundant of Yellowstone’s large mammals, elk can be seen in just about
every section of the park, although it is known to prefer the grassy,
open areas that provide easy forage for large herds.
Although the males often travel by
themselves, calves and cows can be seen in large numbers in the Gardiner
and Mammoth areas and Lamar Valley. Studies also show that over the
years, elk have also made use of the burned trees and foliage that were
left following the 1988 Yellowstone fire. Elk have been seen in the
Madison-Firehole area, where low elevations and new growth offer
year-round opportunities for food.

Herd populations vary in Yellowstone
according to season; as many as 30,000 elk make their home in the park
during the summer. During the winter, elk either move out of the park or
take up residence in the lower elevations, away from the sub-zero
temperatures of Yellowstone’s mountainous terrain.
The second largest member of the deer
family (moose are the largest), adult elk can range in weight from 500
to 700 lbs. The coat is usually a reddish brown color and is accented by
a distinctive rear patch and dark brown mane. The male is distinguished
by his large, majestic antlers, which are a sign of strength and status.
Antlers are shed in March and regrow in the spring, just before the fall
“rutt” when males lock horns in competition for eligible females. |
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