Roosevelt elk: icons of the Pacific Northwest’s coastal rainforests

<a href="https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/cervus-elaphus-roosevelti" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Roosevelt elk</a> are one of two subspecies native to Washington, the other being Rocky Mountain <a href="https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/cervus-canadensis" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">elk</a>. Interstate 5 divides the two, with the former generally found on the west side and the latter typically found on the east. Some herds, like those near Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier, are a mix of both due to reintroduction efforts in the early 20th century that brought Rocky Mountain elk into Roosevelt elk range. “The closer to the Olympic Peninsula you get, the elk have more pure Roosevelt genetics,” said Kyle Garrison, ungulate (hoofed animal) section manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). <a href="https://wdfw.medium.com/roosevelt-elk-icons-of-the-pacific-northwests-coastal-rainforests-4344c35056f6">Visit Now</a>