Which of these animals is of the same species as that of an elk?

The elk ('Cervus canadensis'), also known as the wapiti, is one of the largest species within the deer family, 'Cervidae', and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America, as well as Central and East Asia. It is often confused with the larger 'Alces alces', which is called moose in North America, but called elk in British English.

Elk were long believed to belong to a subspecies of the European red deer ('Cervus elaphus'), but evidence from many mitochondrial DNA genetic studies beginning in 1998 shows that the two are distinct species. The reindeer is an arctic and subarctic-dwelling deer of the species 'Rangifer tarandus', with a number of subspecies. The roe deer ('Capreolus capreolus'), also known as the roe, western roe deer, or European roe, is also a species of deer.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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13 Comments

John McLardie

Moose and elk are NOT of the same species. The clue is in the Latin names for each. The moose (alces alces) and the elk (cervus canadensis) both belong to the deer family (cervidae) but they belong to different taxonomic sub-families. In the case of moose (capriolinae); elk (cervinae). Indeed of those listed the red deer and the elk both belong to the genus 'cervus' and are thus most closely related. This is a case of the question setter not knowing his subject, carrying out sloppy research and attempting to make the answer fit a poor 'Wikiwrongia' explanation. Question should be withdrawn. Reported.

We don’t confuse elk and moose here in Canada.

klmilles

Elk and moose are very different animals, although both are members of the "deer" family. They do not interbreed. Wapiti and red deer can and have interbred.

Stanley Scott

European red deer is the same species as elk,

bonniecardona

In Canada we have both Elk and Moose which are different animals!!

earlepg

I found the summary by the author as well as the article itself to be confusing. Since I was able to eliminate the reindeer and the roe deer, I subjected the red deer and the moose to the double choice test. Starting with the red deer, I ended with the moose, despite its different-looking palmate antlers, as the answer.