From its huge antlers, to its huge body, the moose is a common icon in the country of Canada and the state of Alaska. Known for being the largest subspecies of deer alongside elk, they are widely known for their physical appearance and they have recently gained popularity in the hunting community.
The moose can reach up to 4.9-6.3 feet tall and 7.9-10 feet in length, which makes them the size of a lifted truck and the length of an average kayak. The average weight of a moose is around half a ton depending on the gender. Males can weigh up to 1500 pounds while females can weigh between 400-1100 pounds.
Across Canada and the USA, there are many different subspecies of moose. The largest subspecies is the Yukon moose, which is usually found in Alaska. The smallest subspecies of moose is the Shiras moose, commonly found around Nevada, Utah, and Yellowstone National Park. The rarest is the White Albino Moose, which is so rare that it is considered to be sacred and is protected by the US and Canadian governments.
Since they are considered herbivores, their diet consists of twigs, bark, and leaves. Due to their height, they aren’t able to reach down and eat grass. but they can stand on their hind legs to reach food from tall trees.
Even though moose seem to be chill animals, most of the time, they are considered to be one of the most dangerous mammals in North America.Their ability to use their antlers to block any strike from a predator and use their long legs to defend themselves make them extremely hazardous. Yet, since females don’t have any antlers, females only use their legs to both kick and swing back and forth as they charge.
With their thick fur and long legs, moose have the ability to survive through long winters and walking through deep snow without any trouble. Sometimes during the fall, ticks that carry diseases that can irritate the moose’s skin, which can force the moose to shed its fur before the winter season. If they shed their fur too early, it may endanger them to the cold and harsh winter environments.
Every winter, males shed their antlers to allow new antlers to grow during the spring. When they do, it comes out with a very furry-like-texture called velvet. And every fall, they shed off the top layer that covers their antlers by rubbing on a tree or thick bush. During this process, the skin comes off and results in a bloody mess. This allows their antlers to grow freely without any limited factors.
The summers where they live can be very hot, and without anything to cool themselves down, they can die from a heat stroke or dehydration. So one of the ways they cool themselves down is by swimming in nearby lakes. They swim a lot in the hot summers; they are adaptive to lakes no matter how deep it is and are able to eat any plant from lakes.
Even though they have a stable population, they lose habitat due to human impact and deforestation. Also, moose are hunters’ favorite animal to hunt alongside deer and elk, which has caused the US government to limit the amount of moose killed a year and create conservation laws so that they don’t lose habitat.
Moose are the most majestic mammals on this planet, from their physical appearance, to their way of adapting to their environment. Despite how dangerous they are, we can all agree on one thing, they are an iconic symbol of the American Northwest.
Sources:
National Wildlife Federation:
https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Moose
Utah Division of Wildlife resources: