Tule elk

The tule elk (Cervus canadensis nannodes) is a subspecies of elk found only in California, ranging from the grasslands and marshlands of the Central Valley to the grassy hills on the coast. When the Europeans first arrived, an estimated 500,000 tule elk roamed these regions, but by 1870 they were thought to be extirpated. In 1874–1875 a single breeding pair was discovered in the tule marshes of Buena Vista Lake in the southern San Joaquin Valley. Conservation measures were taken to protect the species in the 1970s.

They are considered the smallest subspecies of wapiti, which is reflected in the alternative name "dwarf wapiti" and their scientific name, which means "dwarf". However, some individuals have grown to the size of Roosevelt elk, the largest wapiti subspecies. Herds typically included around hundreds of individuals, though several herds may have included thousands of wapiti.

Initially, tule wapiti extended southwards to Orange County and may have roamed extreme western Nevada. When Spanish arrived, tule wapiti populations fell as a result of competition with livestock, habitat loss, and overhunting. Tule wapiti were believed to have gone extinct by 1873, the year when wapiti hunting was banned. Once they were rediscovered, efforts by ranchers in the 20th century aided in the tule wapiti's survival.