Elk (Cervus canadensis)
Two elk browsing near a small pond in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Elk, or wapiti, Cervus canadensis, are the largest of the red deer species, and are commonly seen in the Canadian national parks, where they are protected from hunting. If the population is not controlled by predators, their numbers will increase too quickly, then they overbrowse vegetation, and sicken and die. A well balanced elk and wolf population are part of a healthy forest ecology.
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