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 Moose |
Moose(Mammal) |
 Moose Baby |
Moose HabitsMoose are usually solitary animals. During spring and summer the sexes live apart; calves (young moose) live with their mothers. During the warmer months moose prefer low-lying areas, often near lakes and marshes.
When winter comes the moose move to higher ground, where they seek shelter in forests among birch and pine trees.
Where food is plentiful, moose form small groups that include a bull (male moose), several cows (female moose), and their calves. They paw at the snow to expose the edible grass and twigs below. Still, harsh winter conditions often prevent moose from finding enough to eat.
Moose that are weak from hunger in winter are sometimes attacked by wolves. |
Moose CommunicationMoose use several methods of communication. They vocalize with soft grunts to cows and loud belows and calls to bulls that can be heard for long distances. They use scent to let other moose know they were there by urination. And they use their Antlers to rub, shake and clatter on tree branches when challenging other bulls during the "rut" or mating season. |
Moose BreedingRut (mating season) lasts for several weeks in the fall. The bull competes for one female at a time, but he mates with several in turn. Dominant bulls drive younger bulls away and fight among themselves for the females. The bulls that become badly injured while fighting for mates often fall prey to wolves and bears.
The cow gives birth to one or two young in late spring. The calves cannot walk for the first few days, but by two weeks of age they are able to browse for their own food, and they follow their mother as she forages. They are weaned at five months but stay with their mother until she gives birth again. The cow sometimes drives the oldre calves away but allows them to rejoin her when she and her new calves move on. |
Moose Food & FeedingMoose browse for food during both day and night but are most active at dawn and dusk. They feed on the branches and leaves of willow, birch, and aspen trees.
During the summer months moose feed extensively on vegetation that grows in and awound lakes and marshes. They wade in water up to their shoulders to feed. They also eat underwater plants by submerging their heads to reach the roots and stems.
When lakes and marshes freeze over in winter, moose feed on berries, twigs, and branches. They also strip bark from trees and paw through snow to reach vegetation. |
Moose Key Facts |
| Size |
| Height: To Shoulder, 5-7 feet |
| Weight: 800-2,000 pounds |
| Breeding |
| Sexual maturity: 16-28 months |
| Mating: September to October |
| Gestation: 240-250 days |
| Number of young: 1 or 2 |
| Lifestyle |
| Habit: Solitary or in small groups |
| Diet: Leaves, branches, twigs, and water and marsh plants |
| Lifespan: Up to 20 years. Average 10-15 years |
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