Final answer:
The male elk is noted for bugling or whistling and gathering a harem as part of its courtship behavior to attract females and establish dominance during the rutting season. This behavior is crucial for the continuation and health of the elk population, particularly observed in areas like Yellowstone National Park.
Step-by-step explanation:
The member of the deer family known for the male bugling or whistling and gathering a harem is the elk (Cervus canadensis). During the rutting season, male elks exhibit courtship behaviors, such as bugling which is a loud series of vocalizations used to attract females and to challenge and intimidate other males. This behavior serves both to establish dominance amongst males and to attract females for mating purposes.
Elk's courtship behavior is essential for the survival of the species in places like Yellowstone National Park; it helps ensure that the strongest and fittest males reproduce, contributing to the gene pool. Moreover, territory defense is displayed through bugling and is indicative of a male's vitality, and his ability to maintain a territory, thereby securing mating rights with multiple females within his harem. Females, despite potentially difficult deliveries, will continue to mate with males over successive mating seasons, which showcases the persistence of these behavioral patterns in the survival of the species.