# Elk (*Cervus canadensis*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/elk  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The elk (Cervus canadensis) is a mammal in the family Cervidae, order Artiodactyla, subfamily Cervinae and tribe Cervini. Other English names for the elk include Shou, Wapiti, Tule elk, Wapitoid and American elk. The species was named by Erxleben, 1777, and is a living, not extinct, species. The IUCN Red List global assessment lists the elk as Least Concern (LC), which is not an IUCN threatened category.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | forest |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Lifestyle | Terrestrial |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Mammalia
- order: Artiodactyla
- family: Cervidae
- genus: Cervus
- species: *Cervus canadensis* Erxleben, 1777

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the elk?

The elk is a mammal in the family Cervidae, within the order Artiodactyla.

### What is the scientific name of the elk?

The scientific name of the elk is Cervus canadensis, placed in the genus Cervus.

### Is the elk endangered?

No. The elk is listed as Least Concern (LC) in the IUCN Red List global assessment, which is not an IUCN threatened category.

### Who named the elk and when?

The elk's scientific name, Cervus canadensis, is attributed to Erxleben, 1777.

### What other names does the elk have?

Other English names for the elk are Shou, Wapiti, Tule elk, Wapitoid and American elk.

### Is the elk extinct?

No. The elk is a living species, not extinct, according to the Catalogue of Life.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Elk (Cervus canadensis). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/elk