{"id":7475,"date":"2022-07-19T21:23:51","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T19:23:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/?p=7475"},"modified":"2022-07-19T21:23:54","modified_gmt":"2022-07-19T19:23:54","slug":"elk-vs-caribou","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/elk-vs-caribou\/","title":{"rendered":"Caribou vs. Elk: What\u2019s The Difference Between Caribou and Elk?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Elk vs. Caribou:<\/strong> Caribou and elk are pensive mammals and are part of the Cervidae family. However, they are different species. Elk are larger than caribou and have a different coat. Caribou also have large antlers for defense, while elk use their antlers for mating rituals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Caribou and elk may look similar, but the two animals have some big differences. For one, elk belong to the Cervus Canadensis species while caribou belong to the Rangifer Tarandus specie. Size-wise, elk are also much larger than caribou.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_63 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-white ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-65f678d376cf3\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-65f678d376cf3\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/elk-vs-caribou\/#what-is-an-elk\" title=\"What is an Elk?\">What is an Elk?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/elk-vs-caribou\/#what-is-a-caribou\" title=\"What is a Caribou?\">What is a Caribou?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/elk-vs-caribou\/#to-which-families-belongs-elk-and-caribou\" title=\"To Which Families Belongs Elk And Caribou?\">To Which Families Belongs Elk And Caribou?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/elk-vs-caribou\/#are-caribou-and-elk-social-animals\" title=\"Are Caribou and Elk Social Animals?\">Are Caribou and Elk Social Animals?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/elk-vs-caribou\/#11-key-differences-between-caribou-and-elk\" title=\"11 Key Differences between Caribou and Elk\">11 Key Differences between Caribou and Elk<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/elk-vs-caribou\/#comparison-chart\" title=\"Comparison Chart\">Comparison Chart<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/elk-vs-caribou\/#comparison-video\" title=\"Comparison Video\">Comparison Video<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/elk-vs-caribou\/#conclusion-caribou-vs-elk-main-differences\" title=\"Conclusion: Caribou vs. Elk Main Differences\">Conclusion: Caribou vs. Elk Main Differences<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-an-elk\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-is-an-elk\"><\/span>What is an Elk?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gspb_image-id-gsbp-88c6d69a-83fa\" class=\"gspb_image gspb_image-id-gsbp-88c6d69a-83fa wp-block-greenshift-blocks-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/elk-Description-and-Meaning-elk-vs-caribou-English-US.jpg\" data-src=\"\" alt=\"What is an Elk? Elk - sometimes called the \u201cwapiti\u201d - is a Native American animal, and the word translates to \u201cwhite rump.\u201d They can alter color depending on the season. During the summer, they have a light tan, but during winter months, they become dark brown. Elk are the largest species of deer, weighing anywhere from 325 to 1100 pounds.\" width=\"475\" height=\"1479\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Elk &#8211; sometimes called the \u201cwapiti\u201d &#8211; is a Native American animal, and the word translates to \u201cwhite rump.\u201d They can alter color depending on the season. During the summer, they have a light tan, but during winter months, they become dark brown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Elk are the largest species of deer, weighing anywhere from 325 to 1100 pounds. At one time, they were found in mountainous North American and East Asian forests, but they have since been introduced to new habitats like Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Elk are highly social animals that often live in packs as large as 400 individuals, which are called gangs. Elk are typically found in lowland forests and habitats in forest mountains. You\u2019ll also see them near marshes, lakes, and bushlands. Male elk \u2013 sometimes called bulls \u2013 sport antlers. They are twice as heavy as females or cows.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mating season for elk typically begins in September, as this is the time mature bulls fight for the attention of cows. This is done by making bugles, which are high-pitched noises. Cows are usually attracted to bulls that frequently bugle and make the loudest sounding pitches. After mating, a cow\u2019s gestation period is typically between 240 and 262 days. Once this time ends, cows birth calves that tend to weigh up to 35 lb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Elk antlers are some of the quickest-growing bones in the animal kingdom, capable of growing up to 1 inch daily in the summertime. Male elk shed their antlers each March, growing new sets in May, and weigh as much as 40 pounds. New antlers tend to be covered in velvet, which helps insulate them during cold winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-a-caribou\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-is-a-caribou\"><\/span>What is a Caribou?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gspb_image-id-gsbp-7edc36ec-e0fa\" class=\"gspb_image gspb_image-id-gsbp-7edc36ec-e0fa wp-block-greenshift-blocks-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/caribou-Description-and-Meaning-elk-vs-caribou-English-US.jpg\" data-src=\"\" alt=\"What is a Caribou? A caribou is a type of deer found across North America\u2019s boreal forests and Arctic tundra, Alaska, Northern Europe, Asia, and Greenland. They vary significantly in color and size, with males weighing up to 400lbs and females averaging 355lbs. Caribou and Elk have many differences, the most notable being the size of their antlers. Caribou antlers are much bigger than elk, and both males and females possess them.\" width=\"475\" height=\"1617\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A caribou is a type of deer found across North America\u2019s boreal forests and Arctic tundra, Alaska, Northern Europe, Asia, and Greenland. They vary significantly in color and size, with males weighing up to 400lbs and females averaging 355lbs. Caribou and Elk have many differences, the most notable being the size of their antlers. Caribou antlers are much bigger than elk, and both males and females possess them. In Scandinavian populations, elder male Caribou shed their antlers in December, while younger males shed theirs in early Spring. Females shed their antlers in summer. This is in contrast to elk, in which only males have antlers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Caribou has a nose that is coated entirely in short hair. This hair helps to keep the cold air relatively warm as it comes in. Caribou are known as seasonal breeders and usually mate in early Autumn. Male caribou battle one another for female access. Two males will lock antlers and try to force each other back. The victorious male can mate with up to 20 females.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Caribou are unique creatures that love to consume mosses and lichens. Some caribou are darkly grey, while others are darkly brown. You\u2019ll find white patches on the neck, abdomen, forehead, beneath the tail, and sides surrounding the feet. An elk\u2019s entire body is coated with two full layers &#8211; a woolly dense undercoat and an overcoat of long hair comprised of air-filled hollow hairs. This allows them to endure harsh (cold) climates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"to-which-families-belongs-elk-and-caribou\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"to-which-families-belongs-elk-and-caribou\"><\/span>To Which Families Belongs Elk And Caribou?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Elk and caribou are both part of the family of Cervidae, meaning they are both herbivores that mainly eat shrubs, grasses, trees, and leaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Elk are typically held captive for velvet collection and hunting, while caribou are mostly found in the wild. Velvet shed by the antlers of a male elk is collected, then used for medicinal purposes, while caribou antlers are often used as decorative pieces.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Elk hides are used to make footwear and warm clothes, while caribou fur is mostly used for making hats and other garments. Antlers are used as ornamental pieces nowadays, while elk skin belts, shoes, and gloves are used regularly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"are-caribou-and-elk-social-animals\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"are-caribou-and-elk-social-animals\"><\/span>Are Caribou and Elk Social Animals?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Caribou and Elk are both social animals who travel in groups. However, Caribou typically travel in herds of hundreds, while Elk travel in smaller groups. Caribou are commercially used for their hides, meat, milk, antlers, and even transportation for Arctic citizens.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"11-key-differences-between-caribou-and-elk\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"11-key-differences-between-caribou-and-elk\"><\/span>11 Key Differences between Caribou and Elk<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table alignfull\"><table><thead><tr><th><strong>Basis<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Caribou<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Elk<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/td><td>Is a smaller than Elk in size mammal (belongs to the family Cervidae)<\/td><td>The largest living mammal (belongs to the family Cervidae) on Earth<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Found In<\/strong><\/td><td>Found across the Arctic tundra and boreal forest of North America, Asia, Europe, and Greenland<\/td><td>Found in North America and Eastern Asia, also can be seen in such countries like Australia, Argentina, and New Zealand<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Height<\/strong><\/td><td>33 \u2013 60 inches tall<\/td><td>56 \u2013 68 inches tall<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Weight<\/strong><\/td><td>350 \u2013 400lbs<\/td><td>650 \u2013 850lbs<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Antlers<\/strong><\/td><td>Caribous males and females have antlers, and they are much larger than elks<\/td><td>Only the elk males have antlers that are smaller than caribous<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Fur<\/strong><\/td><td>The color of the caribou\u2019s fur varies and depends on seasons and subspecies. Caribous from the Northern areas are smaller and have white fur while Caribous from Southern areas are larger and darker in color<\/td><td>Elks have a reddish hue to their hair coloring along with it, and there are large buff-colored rump patches and smaller tails<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Hooves<\/strong><\/td><td>The hooves of Caribous change according to the climate. During summer, when the tundra is soft and wet, its feet become spongy to provide extra protection. During winter &#8211; the foot-pads get a shrink, exposes the rim of the hoof which enables them to cut the ice and prevent it from slipping<\/td><td>Elks possess an even number and same type of toes on each foot. They\u2019re quite similar to camels, cattle, and goats.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Diet<\/strong><\/td><td>Are also herbivorous. They eat lichens in the winter, willow leaves, birches, sledges, and grasses in the summer.<\/td><td>Are herbivorous. They eat grasses, plants, leaves, and barks.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Migration<\/strong><\/td><td>Caribous are migrators. They can move up to 5,000 km a year and can run at speeds of 37 \u2013 49 mph.<\/td><td>Elks love travel from low valley meadows to high mountain grazing grounds<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Group<\/strong><\/td><td>A group of Caribous is called \u00ab&nbsp;Herd&nbsp;\u00bb<\/td><td>Are social animals, they live in large groups \u00ab&nbsp;gangs&nbsp;\u00bb<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Life Span<\/strong><\/td><td>Can live up to 15 years in the wild<\/td><td>Can live up to 8 to 12 years in the wild and about 20 years or even more in the captivity<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"comparison-chart\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"comparison-chart\"><\/span>Comparison Chart<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"gspb_image-id-gsbp-30ae5e08-ee5d\" class=\"gspb_image gspb_image-id-gsbp-30ae5e08-ee5d wp-block-greenshift-blocks-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/caribou-vs-elk-Comparison-Chart-English-US.jpg\" data-src=\"\" alt=\"Caribou and Elk are often compared, because they are both deer species. But how do they differ from each other? Read more here and find out the differences.\" width=\"475\" height=\"2048\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"comparison-video\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"comparison-video\"><\/span>Comparison Video<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Differences Between Reindeer, Caribou, and Elk\" width=\"840\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Zqs5fruMIDA?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1&#038;origin=https:\/\/www.difference101.com\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption>The Differences Between Reindeer, Caribou, and Elk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"conclusion-caribou-vs-elk-main-differences\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"conclusion-caribou-vs-elk-main-differences\"><\/span>Conclusion: Caribou vs. Elk Main Differences<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Caribou are found in the Arctic, boreal territories of North America, Siberia, Asia, Greenland, and Europe. Elk mainly inhabit East Asia and North America.<\/li><li>Elk are distinguished from caribou by size; adult elk are between 56 and 58 inches tall at the withers. Adult elk can weigh as much as 830lbs. Adult caribou, on the other hand, are smaller, typically between 34 and 62 inches high at the withers, and usually weigh between 355 and 400lbs.<\/li><li>Caribou don\u2019t migrate considerable distances, while elk also make extensive migrations.<\/li><li>Elk have bare hair on their noses, while caribou have short hair covering their entire nose.<\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Caribou and Elk are often compared, because they are both deer species. But how do they differ from each other? Read more here and find out the differences.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7478,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_gspb_post_css":"body #gspb_image-id-gsbp-30ae5e08-ee5d,body #gspb_image-id-gsbp-7edc36ec-e0fa,body #gspb_image-id-gsbp-88c6d69a-83fa{text-align:center}#gspb_image-id-gsbp-30ae5e08-ee5d img,#gspb_image-id-gsbp-7edc36ec-e0fa img,#gspb_image-id-gsbp-88c6d69a-83fa img{width:475px;height:auto}","footnotes":""},"categories":[122],"tags":[1887,1889,831],"offerexpiration":[],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":7475},"pll_sync_post":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7475"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7475"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7475\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7478"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7475"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7475"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7475"},{"taxonomy":"offerexpiration","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.difference101.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/offerexpiration?post=7475"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}