The tule elk 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. However, in 1874-1875 a single breeding pair was discovered in southern San Joaquin Valley. Conservation measures were taken to protect the species in the 1970s.
Fun Fact Today, the wild population exceeds 4,000. Tule elk can reliably be found in Point Reyes National Seashore and on Coyote Ridge in Santa Clara Valley, San Jose, California.