A female elk feeds her calf. [Photo/kfqgw.beijing.gov.cn]

Elks, a first-grade state protection animal, have calved again. 

As summer approaches, female elks in the Elk garden have given birth to their babies one by one. Currently, the number of elks in Nanhaizi Elk Park is 223; 38 are babies born in 2021.

Female elks give birth to one calf at a time, which are able to stand up and feed on their mother's milk within half an hour.

The elk lactation period is about eight months. One or two days after birth, baby elks are capable of running after their mothers.

A newborn elk weighs about 12 kilograms, and has brown fur with white spots. After two or three months, the spots disappear by themselves. 

For about a week after giving birth, the female elks will go foraging with the herd, hiding young calves in a secluded place and feeding them at regular intervals. Baby elks spend the rest of their time sleeping. 

After about a week, they join the herd, staying together most of the time. Mother elk recognize their offspring through sounds and smell.

It takes about two years for the newborn elks to become sexually mature, so that females at that age can get pregnant and reproduce. Males take longer to mature; and in any event it is hard for them to compete for mates before the age of four. The life span of an elk is about 20 years, an expert noted.

According to Hu Jining, director of the exhibition department of the Elk Park, there are elks on both the east and west sides of the park. Visitors can enter the park from the south gate and follow the walkways to the west side.

Tips:

The Nanhaizi Park is open from 7:00 to 20:00 every Monday to Sunday

The Elk Garden is closed on Mondays and open from 9:00 to 16:00 every day from Tuesday to Sunday