Rubbing antlers against trees also polishes them, giving them a more eye-catching look.įATAL ATTRACTION: OK, this one is pretty weird, and definitely gross. But keep an eye out for a certain telltale sign on trees – “rubs” where a male elk has scratched the bark off, an activity that he hopes will impress a cow. THERE’S THE RUB: Your chances are extremely good, but you might not always see elk when you explore Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. How do we know? Scientists have noticed that when a female elk is presented with the choice between a mate with nine antler points and 10 antler points, she’ll almost always select the bull with 10 points. Thanks, wapiti!ĬOUNTING ELK: Strange, but true: Elk can count to 10. But two elk-men visit him in a dream and give him a flute, which he masters, giving him the means to communicate his feelings to the girl through music. WAPITI: The Shawnee name for elk is wapiti, which means “white rump.” Elk are connected with love and music for many Native Americans, and a well-known tribe legend credits elk with the creation of the first flute: a boy is too shy to speak to the girl he has fallen in love with. We think elk use this sound (at least in part) to tell other elk that they’re approaching them from behind. Researchers have found that elks’ anklebones make distinct cracking or popping noises when they walk. But it’s only one of the ways that these animals engage with one another. And voila, you’ve got the famous elk bugle.įANCY FOOTWORK: Because of its unique timber and volume (you can hear it from miles away), bugling is the best-known form of elk communication. That’s right: he’s roaring and whistling simultaneously. Use your binoculars to take a look at a bugling male – you’ll see that he is moving both his lips and his nostrils. It turns out there are two forces at work. But just how are they making that noise? Until recently, scientists were stumped - the bugles reach pitches that are far too high to be produced by an elk’s voice box.
SOUNDING OFF: During the rut, don’t miss the chance to hear the incredible, otherworldly sound of a bull elk bugling.
#Elk animal full
They can weigh as much as 40 pounds in a full grown male. The size of an elk’s antlers depends on the amount of sunlight the elk gets sunlight causes a boost in testosterone levels, causing the antlers to grow. This rapid pace has led some scientists to suggest that studying elk’s antlers might give us some help in the fight against certain types of cancer in humans. How fast? Well, they’ve been known to grow as much as one inch in one day. But how much do you really know about these magnificent mammals? Here are a few of the most fascinating – and occasionally weird – elk facts.ĪMAZING ANTLERS: An elk’s antlers – which only grow on bulls – don’t just look cool. Often known as the unofficial mascots of Estes Park, the elk are certainly the most oft-spotted, and popular wildlife around.
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