08-14-2002, 04:34 PM
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</div>Quote:Wapiti roam in herds, moving from the mountains to the valleys in winter. During the mating season in the fall, fights between males are common. They challenge one another with a loud bellow. Two animals face each other from a distance of about 20 feet (6 meters), paw the ground, and then charge and crash their antlers together. Bellowing as they fight, they continue the struggle until one goes down. The loser usually survives but leaves the area. Occasionally the antlers of the fighters lock together so that neither can eat, and both animals die from starvation. In March the bulls lose their antlers, but they can still ward off predators with their sharp front hooves. In early summer each cow gives birth to one or two white-spotted calves.