Gallery at a Glance:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Suborder: Ruminantia
Family: Cervidae
Subfamily: Cervinae
Genus: Cervus
Species: canadensis
"I come more and more to the conclusion that wilderness, in America or anywhere else, is the only thing left that is worth saving." -- Ed Abbey.
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Photo Gallery: Elk photos
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Bull elk photos, shot largely in Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada. The rut, or breeding season, is a phenomenal time to be in the mountains shooting images of elk. The bulls, or males, scream and bugle, calling their challenge to nearby bulls, and letting all the local cows, or females, know of their presence. The mountains come alive, the crisp cold air of the early morning rings for miles around with this most magnificent of sounds. It's an experience unlike any other, almost mystical.
The bull elk challenge each other, and fight to establish their dominance. The fighting can be extremely fierce and injury is common. A dominant bull elk will expend extraordinary amounts of energy keeping his harem of cows together, and chasing off other bulls. Typically the action is early morning and late afternoon, and on into the night. During the day the bulls will usually bed down in the forest and rest.
After the rut is an extremely difficult time for the bulls, as they're often exhausted, and very vulnerable to predators, such as wolves and/or bears. They have also used up much of their energy reserves, and face a daunting winter ahead. They then shed, or drop their antlers, and begin the process of growing them again for the new year. The velvet covering the antlers of a spring bull is actually the energy source for this new growth, supplying the antlers with the nutrients needed for such quick growth. By the end of the summer, early September, the bulls will have regrown an entire set of new antlers, quite an amazing feat.
To see more bull elk photos, please visit the newest addition to the Image Gallery, Elk 2 - I also some have elk images on the Wildlife 3 page.
Through my photography I have learned a great deal about animals, about plants, about the land, about myself, and about our culture. I would like to hope that in viewing my images, some sense of the vitality of the essence of life comes through, and my audience can begin to somehow develop a deeper appreciation for the plants and animals and landbase we share this experience of life with.Thank you. -- Carl Donohue, Nov, 2005.