BACKGROUND - Canadian Rockies: Including Banff and Jasper National Parks - page 502

mountain avens, alpine forget-me-nots, avalanche lily, moss campion, and a variety of
heathers bloom.
Fauna
One of the biggest attractions of the Canadian Rockies is the abundance of wildlife, espe-
cially large mammals such as elk, moose, bighorn sheep, and bears, which are all wide-
spread and easily viewed throughout the mountains.
THE DEER FAMILY
Mule Deer and White-Tailed Deer
Mule deer and white-tailed deer are similar in size and appearance. Their color varies with
the season but is generally light brown in summer, turning dirty gray in winter. While both
species are considerably smaller than elk, the mule deer is a little stockier than the white-
tailed deer. The mule deer has a white rump, a white tail with a dark tip, and large mulelike
ears. It inhabits open forests along valley floors. Waterton town site has a healthy popula-
tion of mule deer. The white-tailed deer's tail is dark on top, but when the animal runs, it
holds its tail erect, revealing an all-white underside. Whitetails frequent thickets along the
rivers and lakes of the foothills. They are most common on the British Columbia side of
the Continental Divide.
Elk
The elk, or wapiti, is the most widespread and common of the larger mammals living
in the Canadian Rockies. It has a tan body with a dark-brown neck, dark-brown legs,
and a white rump. This second-largest member of the deer family weighs 250-450 kilo-
grams (550-1,000 pounds) and stands 1.5 meters (five feet) at the shoulder. Beginning
each spring, stags grow an impressive set of antlers, covered in what is known as velvet.
The velvet contains nutrients that stimulate antler growth. By fall, the antlers have reached
their full size and the velvet is shed. Rutting season takes place between August and Octo-
ber; listen for the shrill bugles of the stags serenading the females. During the rut, randy
males will challenge anything with their antlers and can be dangerous. The stags shed their
antlers each spring, but don't relax too much because, also in spring, females protecting
their young can be equally dangerous. Large herds of elk live in and around the towns of