Moose photos, pictures & information
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About the Moose (Alces alces)
Bull moose antlers are wide and broad, reaching lengths that exceed 60 inches. © Patrick J. Endres The Moose is the world's largest member of the deer
family. The Alaska race (Alces alces gigas) is the largest of all
the moose. Moose are generally associated with northern forests in North
America, Europe, and Russia. In Europe they are called "elk."
In Alaska, they occur in suitable habitat from the Stikine
River in the Panhandle to the Colville River on the Arctic
Slope. They are most abundant in recently burned areas that
contain willow and birch shrubs, on timberline plateaus, and
along the major rivers of South central and Interior Alaska.
General description
Moose are long-legged and heavy bodied with
a drooping nose, a "bell" or dewlap under the chin,
and a small tail. © Patrick J. Endres Moose are long-legged and heavy bodied with
a drooping nose, a "bell" or dewlap under the chin,
and a small tail. Their color ranges from golden brown to
almost black, depending upon the season and the age of the
animal. The hair of newborn calves is generally red-brown
fading to a lighter rust color within a few weeks.
Cow moose feeds in Wonder lake, Denali National Park, Alaska. © Patrick J. Endres Newborn
calves weigh 28 to 35 pounds (13-16 kg) and within five months
grow to over 300 pounds (136 kg). Males in prime condition
weigh from 1,200 to 1,600 pounds (542-725 kg). Adult females
weigh 800 to 1,300 pounds (364-591 kg). Only the bulls have
antlers. The largest moose antlers in North America come from
Alaska, the Yukon Territory, and the Northwest Territories
of Canada. Trophy class bulls are found throughout Alaska,
but the largest come from the western portion of the state.
Moose occasionally produce trophy-size antlers when they are
6 or 7 years old, with the largest antlers grown at approximately
10 to 12 years of age. In the wild, moose rarely live more
than 16 years.
Life history
Cows give birth to twins 15 to 75 percent
of the time, and triplets may occur once in every 1,000 births. © Patrick J. Endres
Bull moose enter bouts of sparring and fighting to establish dominance during the breeding season. © Patrick J. Endres Moose breed in the fall with the peak of the "rut"
activities coming in late September and early October. Adult
males joust during the rut by bringing their antlers together
and pushing. Serious battles are rare. Bulls may receive a
few punctures or other damage and occasionally die from their
wounds. The winner usually mates with the female.
By late October, adult males have exhausted their summer
accumulation of fat and their desire for female company. Once
again they begin feeding. Antlers are shed as early as November,
but mostly in December and January.
Food habits
During fall and winter, moose consume large
quantities of willow, birch, and aspen twigs. In some areas,
moose actually establish a "hedge" or browse line
6 to 8 feet above the ground by clipping most of the terminal
shoots of favored food species. Spring is the time of grazing
as well as browsing. Moose eat a variety of foods, particularly
sedges, equisetum (horsetail), pond weeds, and grasses. During
summer, moose feed on vegetation in shallow ponds, and browse
on the leaves of birch, willow, and aspen.
Population dynamics
Bull moose in snow storm. Note the broken brow tine on the left side from a fight with another bull moose. © Patrick J. Endres Moose have a high reproductive potential and
can quickly fill a range to capacity if not limited by predation,
hunting, and severe weather. Deep crusted snow can lead to
malnutrition and subsequent death of hundreds of moose and
decrease the survival of the succeeding year's calves.
Moose are killed by wolves and black and brown bears. Black
bears take moose calves in May and June. Brown bears kill
calves and adults the entire time the bears are out of their
winter dens. Wolves kill moose throughout the year. Predation
limits the growth of many moose populations in Alaska.
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