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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Alexis Powell" data-source="post: 3644686" data-attributes="member: 5327">That is only true if you are comparing _Alces alces_ to _Cervus canadensis_, as would be the case according to American English usage. The confusion comes from the fact that in American English we use the name "Moose" for the genus _Alces_, whereas in British English the word "Elk" has been applied, historically, to any really large species in the deer family (Cervidae), including the extinct giant Irish Elk, as well as to the taxon called Moose in American English. Based on my reading and conversations with folks from Europe, the word Moose is also commonly used, nowadays, in Britain and Europe to refer to _Alces_, so happily, use of that word is unambiguous, even if some would only apply it strictly to _Alces_ when found in North America. In American English, the name "Elk" or "Wapiti" is used for the species _Cervus canadensis_. That species is a fairly close relative of (and looks very similar to) the Red Deer _Cervus elaphus_ of the Old World. So the North American species would likely be recognized as a sort of "Deer" by users of British English, as GunnarGG noted. Of course, in the grand scheme of things, all these species (including Moose) are a sort of deer, as they are all members of the Cervidae. --APPS - I have, on numerous occasions, used my Zeiss 8x32 FL to observe both Moose (_Alces_) and Wapiti/Elk (_Cervus_), often in the same day, and once (at Grand Tetons National Park) at the very same time!</blockquote>

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