Desert Elk (Wapiti)

grrlscientist — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:59:59 +0000

Desert Elk (Wapiti)

tags: wapiti, Desert elk, Cervus canadensis, mammals, nature, Image of the Day

My good friend, Dave Rintoul, has just returned from a much-deserved vacation camping in the Chiricahuas and Gila Wilderness area and sent a couple images to share with you.

Wapiti, Cervus canadensis, grazing at sunset with Chaco Canyon's Fajada Butte in the background. Desert elk... Who knew?

Image: Dave Rintoul, June 2008 [larger view].

grrlscientist Thu, 06/12/2008 - 08:59

Tags

Thank you! We continue to see proof that nature can exist in the desert if we leave it alone and don't tinker with the biosphere.

Chaco Canyon is a very isolated place where hunting is not allowed, surrounded by land where it is. Elk know these things.

Another nice picture, even if there is no albatross.

Alas, I've been corrupted by systematists:
C. elaphus is red deer. You Yanks have screwed up the names of deer, so I had to check. Elk over here is Alces alces, or your moose. According to wiki, what you have there is C. canadensis.

The bottom line is that none of them taste like chicken.

interesting! the last i'd heard is that american elk were considered to be a subspecies of the european red deer. i am behind the taxonomic curve. boo to me!

i've actually eaten wapiti and you're right, they taste nothing like chicken.