Security cover is cover the elk use to hide in. It consists mostly of thick brush or heavy timber. When the elk feel threatened they use this cover. They are very good at remaining hidden and going unnoticed. They can also be very quiet.
Thermal cover is protection from bad weather.
Anything that protects the elk from heat or cold is thermal cover. It was great to see our Roosevelt Elk on Mt. St. Helens reappear after the volcano and thrive. They are a marvelous creature. For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Diana Tesky's Ecology topic, please visit the Discussions page . Used under License.