Studying wild animal populations and their habitat suitability is fundamental to their conservation and recovery. To understand the population size, distribution and habitat suitability of wapiti (Cervus canadensis xanthopygus) in the Muling forest area of southern Laoyeling in Heilongjiang Province, China, we conducted field surveys from 2015 to 2020. The population density and number of wapiti were calculated by collecting wapiti footprint data from snow-covered ground using sample plot surveys. Three datasets, collected by camera traps, footprint tracking and sample plot surveys, were used to analyze habitat quality with the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) modeling method. The results showed that the population density of wapiti in the study area was 0.0645±0.009 individuals/km², and the population size was 47-61 individuals. The wapiti population mainly distributed in Heping Forest Farm, Longzhuagou Forest Farm and Gonghe Forest Farm in the southern study area. The results of the habitat evaluation showed that, among the human disturbance factors, the comprehensive contribution rate of residential areas to the model was 44%, and wapiti were mainly distributed within approximately 5 km to 10-15 km from residential areas. Remote forest trails and village roads had positive effects on habitat suitability for wapiti, and their contribution to the model was 16.8% and 10.2%, respectively. The occurrence probability of wapiti on forest trails was higher than in other areas. Among the vegetation factors, evergreen coniferous forest and theropencedrymion were the main factors affecting the distribution of suitable habitat for wapiti. When the distance between evergreen coniferous forest and theropencedrymion was less than 4 km, the occurrence probability of wapiti decreased gradually with the increase of distance. The results of the habitat evaluation showed that the total area of high suitable and medium habitats were 87.09 km², accounting for only 10.39% of the study area, mainly distributed in the southeast, while the suitable habitats in the northwest of the study area were fewer and highly fragmented. The area of unsuitable habitat was 640.69 km², which accounted for 76.45% of the study area and was mainly distributed in the northeast. We conclude that the low wapiti population density in the Muling forest area in the southern Laoyeling Mountains is the result of a small population base and the lack of suitable habitat. Therefore, to restore the wapiti population in the future, we should strengthen the restoration of the main areas of wapiti distribution, namely the southwest and northwest parts of the study area. The restoration of habitat in the southwest forestry parts of the study area will contribute to population expansion and gene exchange with the wapiti population of the Tianqiaoling forest region in Jilin Province. Habitat restoration in the northwestern region will be conducive to increasing the range of suitable habitat. Scientific conservation of wapiti populations and restoration of unsuitable habitats in key areas are of great significance for the development of these populations, and for meeting the prey resource needs of Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) and Amur leopards (Panthera pardus orientalis) in the Muling forest area.