A lone elk stands among the dune grasses along the Oregon Coast in Nehalem. From Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia: The elk (Cervus canadensis), also known as the wapiti, is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. The common name of "elk" is open to confusion, as "elk" is the name used in British English for the larger Alces alces, with similar names used by other European languages (German Elch, Swedish älg, and French élan). In North America, the common name for Alces alces is "moose". The name "wapiti" is sometimes used for Cervus canadensis, which derives from the Shawnee and Cree word waapiti, meaning 'white rump'.