Moose Facts
- This massive and magnificent mammal most frequently goes by the simple name of Moose within a certain portion of its range. Intriguingly, however, this wonder holds a very different common name in another part of its territory. That’s the equally short moniker of Elk.
- Inside of the scientific community, though, the animal remains generally much better known by its technical title. Thankfully for the layperson, that’s an extremely simple term to pronounce compared to most. That’s because it currently holds the formal title of Alces alces.
- The remarkable creature received that easy to pronounce name due to the efforts of Carl Linnaeus. The Swedish zoologist accomplished the first official recognition of it as a separate and distinct species. That scientifically noteworthy event occurred in the year 1758.
- Regardless of which of these monikers one chooses to use, it remains a highly impressive species. It also stands out from its kindred for several reasons. Perhaps most impressively, it’s the largest extant species within the deer family. It’s also the only known member of its genus.
- Luckily, the Moose seems to be maintaining a sizeable and comparatively stable population. That pleasant situation further appears to hold true throughout its entire habitat range. The IUCN, therefore, currently lists it as Least Concern on its Red List of Threatened Species.
- The majestic creation of evolution nevertheless faces the same multiple potential threats to its existence as most species. Most of these dangers stem from the actions of humans. These perils include such dangers as habitat loss due to human expansion and climate change.
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Moose Physical Description
The undeniably incredible Moose clearly distinguishes itself from all other presently known varieties of deer. Obviously, its most attention-grabbing attribute is its size. Yet it certainly holds the appreciation of Nature lovers due to its appearance, as well. Nature truly blessed this marvel.
Though larger than its relatives, this marvel follows a similar pattern regarding its nature. That’s the fact that the animal displays a moderate degree of the physiological characteristic of sexual dimorphism. In its case, this natural trait manifests itself in not one, but two distinct manners.
In terms of pure size, males of the amazing species attain greater average measurements than do their female counterparts. Males reach a height at the shoulder ranging from roughly 4.5 – 7 ft (1.4 – 2.1 m). These behemoths also range in weight from an incredible 838 – 1,543 lb (380 – 700 kg)!
Females of the creature, however, reach noticeably smaller dimensions in both of these categories. This gender typically boasts masses ranging from 441 – 1,080 lb (200 – 490 kg). Their overall body height and length also remain accordingly smaller than the males of the remarkable Cervidae.
The nose of both sexes additionally stands out from others of its kind, too. It’s unique among living cervids due to its significantly greater length, relative to body size. The stunning creature also evolved an adaptation allowing it to seal its own nostrils when feeding on aquatic vegetation.
Its the antlers of the breathtaking Moose that most separate the genders, however. Females lack this distinctive feature entirely. Among males, though, these reach impressive dimensions. This varies with age and range, but averages an extraordinary 79 in (2 m) among healthy, mature adults!
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Artiodactyla
- Family: Cervidae
- Genus: Alces
- Species: A. alces
Moose Distribution, Habitat, and Ecology
The extraordinary Moose evolved as native to an extremely wide expanse of the surface of the globe. The full extent of that territory surprises many people. That’s because the intriguing mammal developed as endemic to sections of North America, Europe, and even a small part of Asia.
In North America, that native territory covers virtually all of Canada. It also appears in Alaska, and the most northerly portions of the United States. In Europe, though, the awesome mammal lives in such countries as Sweden, Norway, and Finland. But in Asia, it’s mainly confined to Russia.
The fascinating creatue also evolved very precise preferences regarding its choice of habitat. As a general principle, individuals avoid regions with little or no snow. Its evolutionary cold-adaptations make this a basic necessity. Specimens typically try to avoid the hotter regions for that reason.
The creation of Nature also naturally requires the presence of sufficient vegetation of the right kind. The species most commonly prefers sub-alpine areas where possible, in early winter. During the latter part of that season, however, examples usually move to river valleys with deciduous forests.
The mighty Moose evolved as what’s known as a browsing herbivore. It feeds opportunistically on an extremely wide variety of flora. This includes such fare as aquatic plants, fruit, and tree shoots. The average adult individual actually consumes approximately 71 lb (32 kg) of food per day!
The massive mammal understandably typically has few natural predators, due to its great size. Only siberian tigers hunt mature individuals solo. Packs of wolves sometimes will do so as a group, though. In certain parts of its range, black bears and cougars sometimes prey on the calves.
Species Sharing Its Range
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