Rocky Mountain Bull Elk or Wapiti Cervus Elaphus shown rubbing his antlers against a small sapling during the fall rutt

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A Rocky Mountain Bull Elk or Wapiti rubs his antlers against a sapling to remove velvet During rutting season male elk gather harems of cow elk and fight other males to protect their mating rights Elk are related to the red deer or Europe they range from 700 to 800 pounds at maturity and up to eight feet in length The antlers weigh up to 40 pounds per pair North American Elk population is estimated to be about one million animals including the Roosevelt elk found in the West Coast rain forests

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Size: 5522px × 4170px
Location: Yellowstone National Park Wyoming USA
Photo credit: © GEORGE AND MONSERRATE SCHWARTZ / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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