| Merriam's Elk | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Suborder: | Ruminantia |
| Family: | Cervidae |
| Subfamily: | Cervinae |
| Genus: | Cervus |
| Species: | C. elaphus |
| Subspecies: | C. e. merriami |
| Binomial name | |
| Cervus elaphus (Erxleben, 1777)[1] |
|
| Trinomial name | |
| Cervus canadensis merriami |
|
The Merriam's Elk (Cervus canadensis merriami) is an extinct subspecies of elk once found in the arid lands of the southwestern United States. Since the arrival of the Europeans uncontrolled hunting and cattle grazing had driven the subspecies into extinction over a century ago, with the exact presumed date being 1906. Not much else is known about this subspecies as it became extinct before studies could be done. Elk from Yellowstone National Park were introduced to this area in 1913, and are reasonably common in the area today.