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Elk at the Refuge:
 Elk
have a coat of deep copper brown to light tan, depending on the season
Their
legs and neck are often darker than their body, with a light beige rump
Newborn
calves weigh about 35 lbs, the cow - 500 lbs., and the bull - 700 lbs.
Bulls
measure 8 feet from nose to tail
U.S.
elk population is 1 million |
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Antlers
are fast-growing bone that male elk shed every spring
Testosterone
is the hormone that holds the antlers secure
Every
October, the testosterone level of the male begins to drop, until early
spring when the antlers snap off
While
new antlers are growing, a soft covering called velvet protects the antlers
and carries blood to the growing bone tissue
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Antlers
grow from bony bumps on the elk skull called pedicles ( bones shaped like
cups and covered with skin)
An
antler can grow up to 1 inch a day during the summer
Antlers
are often branched, but the number of points does not signify age
Teeth
are a better gauge to an elk's age than antler size |
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Elk eat
grasses, tree limbs and bark, and low-growing, soft-stemmed plants
Herds
eat and watch for predators at the same time - at least one animal is looking
up while others are eating
Elk's
eyes are designed to detect movement over long distances & they have
a superb sense of smell
Their
big ears can twist forward and back to capture faint rustling& movement |
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Credits
© Copyright, 1998 Friends of the Prairie Learning Center
All Rights Reserved Legal
Notices
email: buffalo@tallgrass.org
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