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I've got a very large but very cute Sunday Squee for you today: Roosevelt Elk.
Roosevelts are the largest of the remaining North American elk species, and they are the third largest land mammal in North America. A mature bull can weigh 1200 pounds or more. The elk were hunted to near extinction with numbers dwindling from the original 10,000,000 to just 100,000. To save the elk, President Theodore Roosevelt took measures to preserve the native habitats of the herds, and the once-called "Olympic Elk" were renamed "Roosevelt Elk" in his honor.
I found this herd at the Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area in Oregon, the winter home of about 200 Roosevelt Elk, and I spent a lot more time there than was reasonable but I couldn't tear myself away. A couple of the mature males got into a tussle while I was there, and a curious youngster decided to come close and see what I was up to.
Jewell Meadows contains over 1,000 acres of ideal elk habitat, and the meadows are reseeded regularly with the grasses and forbs needed by the elk. In addition to the permanent meadows, there are also coniferous and hardwood forests, streams, and seasonal wetlands on the property. This place is a treasure for wildlife enthusiasts and nature photographers!
Roosevelts are the largest of the remaining North American elk species, and they are the third largest land mammal in North America. A mature bull can weigh 1200 pounds or more. The elk were hunted to near extinction with numbers dwindling from the original 10,000,000 to just 100,000. To save the elk, President Theodore Roosevelt took measures to preserve the native habitats of the herds, and the once-called "Olympic Elk" were renamed "Roosevelt Elk" in his honor.
I found this herd at the Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area in Oregon, the winter home of about 200 Roosevelt Elk, and I spent a lot more time there than was reasonable but I couldn't tear myself away. A couple of the mature males got into a tussle while I was there, and a curious youngster decided to come close and see what I was up to.
Jewell Meadows contains over 1,000 acres of ideal elk habitat, and the meadows are reseeded regularly with the grasses and forbs needed by the elk. In addition to the permanent meadows, there are also coniferous and hardwood forests, streams, and seasonal wetlands on the property. This place is a treasure for wildlife enthusiasts and nature photographers!
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