elk (Alces alces ssp. alces)

A large herbivore of the tundra, boreal and alpine forests of Europe and Asia, extending south into temperate broadleaf forest and preferring habitats that are marshy or close to water. Elk are abundant in Scandinavia and Siberia and were native to Britain before they became extinct about 3,000 years ago. Elk is the largest species in the deer family. The North American subspecies is the moose.

This definition is abridged from A – Z of tree terms: A companion to British arboriculture.
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