The largest deer species on Earth. Bull moose stand 7 feet at the shoulder and grow antlers 6 feet across. Calves nearly double in weight every two weeks.

Also called: Eurasian Elk (Old World name)

Native status: Native; northern North America

§ Quick facts

SizeBody 2.4–3.1 m (8–10 ft); shoulder height 1.4–2.1 m (4.5–7 ft)
WeightMales 380–700 kg (840–1,540 lb); females 270–410 kg
LifespanWild 15–20 years; oldest documented 27
OrderArtiodactyla
FamilyCervidae

§ Encyclopedia

The moose or elk is the world's tallest, largest and heaviest extant species of deer and the only extant species in the genus Alces. It is also the tallest, and the second-largest, land animal in North America, falling short only to the American bison in body mass. Most adult male moose have broad, palmate antlers; other members of the deer family have pointed antlers with a dendritic ("twig-like") configuration. Moose inhabit the circumpolar boreal forests or temperate broadleaf and mixed forests of the Northern Hemisphere, thriving in cooler, temperate areas as well as subarctic climates.

Source: Wikipedia — Moose Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Largest member of the deer family. Long legs, humped shoulders, pendulous "bell" beneath chin, broad palmate antlers (bulls).

Similar species. Elk (smaller, no bell, branched antlers). Domestic cattle (no antlers, different proportions).

Voice. Bulls grunt loudly during rut; cows wail to attract mates. Generally quiet outside rut.

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Aquatic vegetation in summer, twigs and bark in winter. Consumes 18–25 kg of vegetation per day.

Behavior. Largely solitary. Excellent swimmer — can dive 6 m for aquatic plants. Bulls grow massive palmate antlers each summer, shed each winter. Rutting bulls fight ferociously each fall.

§ Range

Northern US (including Maine, NH, MN, MT), Alaska, and across Canada

§ Habitat

Boreal forest, willow shrublands, mountain valleys, lakes and bogs

§ Threats

Climate-driven heat stress in summer, winter ticks (which can carry tens of thousands per moose), predation pressure on calves.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the moose is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Support moose research and tick monitoring programs. Drive cautiously in moose country.

Support our work More ways to help

§ Further reading

§ Sources cited

  • Vermont Center for Ecostudies
  • Alaska Department of Fish and Game
  • USDA Forest Service
  • IUCN Red List 2016