Wapiti

The wapiti is one of the largest deer species. It has a buff to brown body, darker head and legs, a short tail and a conspicuous pale rump patch. Adult males develop a shaggy neck mane and large, branching antlers that are shed and regrown annually; particularly large males can approach 300kg. Asian members of Cervus canadensis include several named populations distributed through temperate Central and East Asia, including northern China. (Texas Tech University species account; Wikipedia, general species account)

Wapiti use forest, woodland, shrubland, open grassland and alpine habitats, often moving between seasonal ranges. They primarily graze on grasses and sedges but also consume forbs, willow, aspen, oak, other woody browse and occasional fungi when grasses are unavailable. Females and young form herds, while mature males gather harems during the autumn rut and advertise with resonant bugling calls. Gestation lasts 249–262 days and usually produces one spotted calf; twins are uncommon. (NatureServe; Animal Diversity Web under the older Cervus elaphus treatment)