Moose
Alces alces

Large, long-legged and lumpy, moose wander woods and waterways gobbling grasses and other plants to nourish their big bodies. Unlike other deer that travel in herds, these animals most often live alone or in small family groups.

What They Eat
Moose prefer new shoots and leaves of shrubs and trees as well as water plants. They will eat bark and twigs when other food is scarce.

Where They Live
Forests, swamps, bogs, and other wetlands provide good food and shelter for moose.

What They Do
Moose are most active at dawn and dusk. The males’ big antlers help them compete for females and fight off predators such as wolves. A thick coat and long legs help moose survive the cold, snowy winters of the North Woods.

How They’re Doing
Moose are generally doing fine across their range. Populations are declining in Minnesota for reasons that are not completely clear but may be connected with global climate change.

Moose

• The long flap of skin hanging under a moose’s chin is called a dewlap or bell.
• Moose are strong swimmers.
• Moose have no top front teeth. They grab their food with their upper lip.
• A set of moose antlers can weigh up to 85 pounds and measure more than 5 feet from tip to tip.
• Native people across the northern lands have many traditional uses for moose. Moose meat can be a main source of food: one moose can provide 500 pounds of meat. The heavy hide makes good clothing, moccasins, and snowshoes. The black sinew can be used as sewing thread. The antlers and bones make tools. And the hoofs may become rattles for religious ceremonies.
• Moose bellow during mating season. They also have an alarm call, a distress call, and a call to bring the calf to the cow.
• When feeding in a river or lake, moose will submerge their head under water but leave their ears out, listening for sounds.

Conservation Notes

Moose are game animals. Though they are not endangered, they are affected by habitat loss and climate change. Populations are relatively stable.

Moose

Range
Moose can be found throughout much of the northern coniferous forest regions of Alaska, Maine, western Montana, northern Idaho, western Wyoming, Canada, and the northern Great Lakes, including Minnesota.

Description
The moose is the largest member of the deer family. Adult male moose can grow to be 8–10 feet from head to tail, stand 4–6 feet tall at the shoulder, and weigh 1,800 pounds. Females are smaller, around 800–900 pounds. In summer their coat is dark brown and black, with lighter underparts; the winter coat is gray. Their hooves are 6–7 inches long and split into two toes. Moose have a broad, overhanging muzzle, massive antlers, a heavy mane, and a pendulant flap of skin beneath the throat called a bell or dewlap. The male’s bell is a little longer than the female’s bell. Moose seem to not be able to see very well, but their senses of hearing and smell are acute. Male moose grow antlers starting in early spring and shed them in January and February.

Habits and Adaptations
Moose have long, slim legs that allow them to walk through deep snow and fallen trees. When they walk the hooves spread, helping support the moose in marshy areas and deep snow. The front hooves are larger than the back. They are strong swimmers.

Moose have no teeth in the upper front of their jaw, but the upper lip is extremely flexible and muscular. To eat, they grab leaves with their upper lip, press the lip against the bottom teeth, and pull the leaves off the plant.

They are most active at daybreak or dusk. Moose are sometimes found in groups of three to four individuals, usually a mother and her young. They gather in larger groups in the winter.

Eat and Be Eaten
Moose browse on new growth of shrubs and trees, especially aspen, willow, and maple. They also wade into lakes and streams to feed on water plants. Moose will eat bark and twigs when food is scarce. A moose can eat 40–60 pounds of food at a time. The main nonhuman predators of moose are wolves and bears.

Life History
Moose mate in September or October. After 242–250 days, one to three calves are born (usually late May or June). The young, called calves, are reddish-brown; unlike most young deer, they are not spotted. Calves are weaned at 6-8 weeks but remain with their mother for up to two years. Females are sexually mature at 3 years. Moose live about 20 years in the wild and nine to 10 years in captivity.