The American (wapiti) is a member of the deer family. Many experts consider it to be the same species as the European red deer. Elk weigh up to 770 pounds (350 kg), stand five-feet high (1.5 m) at the shoulders, and may be up to eight-feet long (2.4 m). Males have antlers that span more than five feet (1.5 m). The Elk coat is grayish-brown in color, with a white patch on the rear. This species has been overhunted and now is found only in southern Canada, the Rocky Mountain region, and in California's Central Valley.