Merriam's elk

Merriam's elk
Conservation status
Extinct  (1906)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Synapsida
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Cervidae
Subfamily:	Cervinae
Genus:	Cervus
Species:	C. canadensis
Subspecies:	†C. c. merriami
Trinomial name
Cervus canadensis merriami (Erxleben, 1777)[1]

The Merriam's elk (Cervus canadensis merriami) is an extinct subspecies of elk once found in the arid lands of the southwestern United States, predominantly Arizona. 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. Another subspecies of elk, the eastern elk (Cervus canadensis canadensis) also became extinct at roughly the same time. Not much else is known about this subspecies as it became extinct before studies were done. Elk from Yellowstone National Park were introduced to this area in 1913, and are reasonably common in the area today.

References

See also

• Roosevelt elk
• Tule elk
• Rocky Mountain elk
• Eastern elk