Elk vs Red deer
Both belong to the genus Cervus, so they are close relatives.
Photo: Membeth · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Lviatour · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
What is the difference between a elk and a red deer?
Each point below is worked out from a pair of recorded values.
- Both belong to the genus Cervus, so they are close relatives.
- Both are listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Side by side
| Elk | Red deer | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Cervus canadensis | Cervus elaphus |
| Family | Cervidae | Cervidae |
| Order | Artiodactyla | Artiodactyla |
| Weight | Not recorded | 122 kg – 165 kg |
| Length | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded | 26.9 years |
| Main food | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Habitat | forest | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Countries recorded | Not recorded | 1 |