Called the red deer in Europe and the elk in North America, the wapiti is a gregarious species that typically lives in herds of two hundred or more.
The word "wapiti" means "white rump" in Shawnee.
Twenty-three widely distributed subspecies are now recognized, predominantly distinguished by size in addition to range differences.
Europe has the smallest subspecies, North America the largest.
The branched antlers of some North American males are almost six feet (2 m) across.
The males use their antlers in autumn fights to defend territory and get access to females.
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