elk vs Polar bear

Cervus elaphus compared with Ursus maritimus

Key Differences

• elk is herbivore while Polar bear is carnivore.
• Polar bear is 1.9x heavier than elk.
• Polar bear lives longer (25 years vs 20 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	elk	Polar bear
Kingdom same	Animalia (动物界)	Animalia (动物界)
Phylum same	Chordata (脊索动物门)	Chordata (脊索动物门)
Class same	Mammalia (哺乳動物)	Mammalia (哺乳動物)
Order	Artiodactyla (偶蹄目)	Carnivora (食肉目)
Family	Cervidae (Deer)	Ursidae (Bears)
Genus	Cervus (True Deer)	Ursus (Bears)
Species	Cervus elaphus	Ursus maritimus

Evolutionary Relationship

elk and Polar bear share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (哺乳動物)

Conservation Status

elk

VU — Vulnerable

Trend: Stable →

Polar bear

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~26.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	elk	Polar bear
Diet	Herbivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	20 years	25 years
Average Length	2.1 m	2.4 m
Average Weight	240.0 kg	450.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

elk

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, among 12 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (Afghanistan, Indonesia), Europe (11 countries), North America (Mexico), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (Argentina, Chile, Peru). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Polar bear

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 4 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Norway. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

elk

麋鹿（又称赤鹿）是鹿科体型最大的成员之一，雄性体重可达240千克。该物种广泛分布于欧洲、亚洲和北美洲的温带森林和草原，历史上不同地区的种群曾被划分为不同亚种。雄性每年脱落并重新生长鹿角，在秋季求偶期间进行壮观的吼叫竞争。在其分布范围内，麋鹿是重要的猎物和保护物种。

Polar bear

北极熊是地球上最大的陆地食肉动物，体重可超过700千克，分布于从加拿大到俄罗斯的北极海冰区。是高度特化的海洋哺乳动物，依赖海冰捕猎环斑海豹和髯海豹。是优秀的游泳者，能够横渡广阔的开阔水域。被列为易危种，因气候变化导致北极海冰迅速减少，种群正受到严重威胁。

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway