Short answers, pulled from the story.
The elk species Alces alces had long been extirpated from the British Isles by the 17th century. This historical event caused the meaning of the word elk to become vague among English speakers.
Mitochondrial DNA studies conducted in 2004 indicate that the North American elk should be a distinct species named Cervus canadensis. These studies show this species is more closely related to Thorold's deer and sika deer than to the red deer.
Male Roosevelt elk can weigh up to 700 kilograms which makes them the largest subspecies found west of the Cascade Range. Typical bull elk weight ranges between 300 kilograms and 450 kilograms while female elk weigh 200 kilograms to 300 kilograms.
South Korea banned the importation of elk antler velvet in 2002 due to concerns about chronic wasting disease. This disease affects brain tissue and was first documented in mule deer during the late 1960s.
Elk were reintroduced in Michigan in 1918 after they had gone extinct there in 1875. The population has since expanded with significant numbers appearing in states like Kentucky by 2022.