from: http://www.mooseworld.com/ a fascinating website

North Americans refer to this (the above) animal as the moose; however, throughout continental Europe, it has often been known as the "elk." The scientific name, Alces alces, also translates into British English as "elk." For North Americans this has been a source of confusion, as the name "elk" is also given to another member of the deer family, the wapiti (Cervus canadensis). Unfortunately, the common names of many living things differ from region to region, from country to country. On the other hand, the scientific names, albeit frequently awkward to articulate, are universal in their usage and eliminate the confusion generated by the more familiar appellations.

a picture of the Cervus canadensis aka in North America as the Elk:

omg this is doing my head in.

does this mean that if I shoot an elk in Sweden I have also shot a moose in canada? So quite possibly i could have killed 2 or more animals in just one shot. wow