The Elk, or Wapiti, belong to the same species of the European Red Deer. There are four subspecies in North America, two which occur in British Columbia- Rocky Mountain Elk of the Rockies and adjacent ranges, and the Roosevelt Elk of the Pacific Northwest coast (Vancouver Island ). Rocky Mountain Elk are most numerous in the East and West Kootenay regions and spread as far as the Liard River area.

Elk are second largest Ungulate in the Northwest, Moose being the largest. Elk have a brownish coat,. with dark legs, head and neck. Both sexes are heavily maned with a yellowish-white rump patch bordered by a dark brown or black stripe. Elk have distinct summer and winter coats. The summer coat is golden brown, the winter coat is longer and grayish brown. They have large rounded upper canine teeth, known as Elk Tusks. Mature, bull Elk have rich brown antlers with ivory tips, and long cylindrical beams which sweep upward and back over the shoulders.

A bull Elk will rarely have more than 6 points and shed their racks in March. Weight varies from 400lbs(180kg) to 1100lbs(500kg) Typical food for the Elk includes sedge, grass and ferns, supplemented by browse from willows, elderberry, cedar and hemlock. Winter ranges are most common in open forests, grassy benchlands and floodplain marshes. In May and June, most Rocky Mountain Elk migrate to sub-alpine and alpine basins which support lush vegetation.

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