Merriam's elk

Merriam's elk
Merriam's Elk
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Suborder: Ruminantia
Family: Cervidae
Subfamily: Cervinae
Genus: Cervus
Species: C. elaphus
Subspecies: C. e. merriami
Binomial name
Cervus elaphus
(Erxleben, 1777)[1]
Trinomial name
Cervus canadensis merriami

The Merriam's Elk (Cervus canadensis merriami) is an extinct subspecies of elk once found in the arid lands of the southwestern United States. Since the arrival of the Europeans uncontrolled hunting and cattle grazing had driven the subspecies into extinction over a century ago, with the exact presumed date being 1906. Not much else is known about this subspecies as it became extinct before studies could be done. Elk from Yellowstone National Park were introduced to this area in 1913, and are reasonably common in the area today.

References

  1. ^ Erxleben, J.C.P. (1777) Anfangsgründe der Naturlehre and Systema regni animalis.

See also