What is an elk?!

I'm late to the Burrow's End bandwagon, but I have animal facts to share!!

In the show, the cast were confused about what kind of animal was being herded. It was referred to as an elk, then a moose, then an elk again.

Europeans use the word elk to describe a large ruminant (in the deer family) with antlers shaped a bit like hands. See the first image.

When European colonizers came to the Americas, they encountered a large ruminant with antlers that they dubbed an elk, due to its similarity with the elk of Europe. This animal is officially known as a wapiti, which is the word used by natives for this creature. See the second image. Many people still refer to this animal as an elk.

An Alaskan moose is a very, very large ruminant from North America that has antlers shaped like webbed hands. See the third image. They are the only living mega-fauna in North America from the last ice age, and if you see one in the path of your car, floor it!! Seriously, if they land on your car, you'll likely die.

Due to the similarity between an Alaskan moose and the original elk, the name 'European moose' is often used for the latter,especially in America. Hence confusion over what an elk is and where moose fit into it.

Tl;Dr - The animal being herded was an elk (the first image), also known as a European moose. An 'elk' as most Americans know it is actually called a wapiti (image two). North American moose are like elk but much bigger. (image 3)