The reindeer and the elk are two mammals that are popularly easily confused.
Both animals belong to the deer family. The reindeer – Rangifer tarandus – lives in Lapland, Siberia and other cold regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It has a brownish-gray coat and its antlers are reminiscent of the deer of our forests. In North America, the reindeer is known as a caribou , but some zoologists consider it a distinct species, Rangifer caribu.
The elk – Alces mactilis – differs from the reindeer by its greater bulk, its shorter and more massive neck and trunk, and the unique antlers of the males . Elk horns have a dilated upper part with up to 15 velvety-looking denticles. Some authors consider species other than European and American moose.
