# Moose (*Alces alces*)

Moose are the largest members of the deer family. They have long legs and huge antlers.

- **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 4/5 · High
- **Snaps:** 108
- **Habitat:** Forests, wetlands, and near lakes.

![Moose](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426258/objects/4386.jpg)

## Appearance

The Moose is a very large mammal with long, dark brown fur and a distinctive shoulder hump. Males grow huge, flat, shovel-like antlers that can spread wide, making them visually different from other deer. They also have a unique fleshy 'bell' or dewlap under their chin.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Artiodactyla
- **Family:** Cervidae
- **Genus:** Alces

## Moose, up close

The moose (Alces alces), called the elk in Europe, is the largest living member of the deer family. It lives in the northern forests and wetlands of North America, Europe and Asia, browsing on willow and other shrubs and wading into lakes for water plants. Bulls grow a new set of broad antlers every summer and shed them at the start of winter.

Also called: Elk (in Europe), Eurasian elk, Eurasian moose.

The largest deer alive, with antlers that grow about 2.5 cm a day. Spin it, tap it, then test yourself.

### Special abilities

- **Bone Crown** (≈2.5 cm antler growth a day): Every summer a bull grows a brand-new set of antlers, then drops them in early winter and starts again. [2][11][3][4]
  - Alaskan biologists say a big bull can grow a 36 kg rack in one summer, adding about 2.5 cm and 0.45 kg of bone a day.
  - Antler regrowth is one of the fastest ways any animal builds a body part. Deer are the only mammals that regrow a whole organ every year.
  - Growing antlers are covered in velvet. Bulls rub it off on small trees before the rut in late September.
  - Bulls shed their antlers at the start of winter, which helps them save energy.
  - One summer's antlers vs a newborn calf: Antlers grown in one summer ≈36 kg; Newborn moose calf 13–16 kg
- **Lake Crosser** (≈10 km reported sea-strait swim): Moose are excellent swimmers. They paddle across rivers and lakes, and even across stretches of sea. [9][2][5]
  - In Alaska, moose apparently swim about 10 km across Clarence Strait to reach Prince of Wales Island.
  - On hot days moose wade or swim to cool down, and to reach water plants.
  - We found no measured swimming speed, so we don't give one.
- **Pondweed Picker** (up to 23 kg food a day in summer): In early summer moose wade into lakes for water plants, which are full of the salt (sodium) their bodies crave. [12][13][9][3]
  - Water plants have much more sodium and iron than twigs. In a taste test, moose chose the plants with the most sodium.
  - In one study, water-plant feeding peaked in late June and early July, after moose had visited salty mineral licks in late spring.
  - Moose wade in on their long legs and eat plants off the bottom.
  - In Yellowstone, an adult eats about 4.5–5.5 kg of food a day in winter and up to about 23 kg in summer.
  - How much a moose eats in a day: Summer up to ≈23 kg; Winter ≈4.5–5.5 kg
- **Snorkel Nose** (Stereo? smell, still untested; still debated): The moose's strange nose is unlike any other deer's. It may help it smell in stereo and close up under water. [6]
  - Scans and dissections show huge nostrils, extra muscles, big cartilages and fatty pads.
  - The nostrils sit far apart and face sideways. Scientists think this could help a moose tell which direction a smell is coming from.
  - Most of the nose's features point to a nostril-closing system. Both ideas still need testing.
- **Dish Ears** (≈25 cm ear length; still debated): Long ears pick up sounds in the forest, and a bull's broad antlers might even help by bouncing sound towards them. [1][14]
  - Moose ears are about 25 cm long.
  - A 2008 study suggested that the flat, palm-shaped antlers of bulls may work like a satellite dish, reflecting sound to the ears.
  - This is one small study, so treat the antler idea as a hypothesis.
- **Rut Call** (Sep–Oct calling season): In the autumn rut both sexes call: cows give a long, drawn-out groan and bulls answer with low, repeated grunts. [3][2][15]
  - The rut peaks in late September and early October.
  - Rival bulls grunt at each other, then push their antlers together.
  - Bulls hardly eat during the rut. Scientists think this is linked to the scent-marking they do at the same time.
- **Cold Champion** (−5 °C too warm in winter): Moose are built for cold. In winter they start to overheat when it gets warmer than about −5 °C. [16][1]
  - At −25 to −30 °C, moose fluff up their hair but don't need to burn extra energy to stay warm.
  - In winter their breathing speeds up when it rises above −5 °C. In summer that happens above 14 °C, and they pant with open mouths from 20 °C.
  - Their hollow guard hairs, 15–25 cm long, make a warm winter coat.
- **Back-Off Signal** (Ears back means too close): Before a moose charges, it usually warns you. Learn the signs and give it lots of space. [7][5]
  - Warning signs: the long hairs on the hump stand up, the ears go flat back and the moose may lick its lips or stare straight at you.
  - Most charges are bluffs, but don't wait to find out. Get behind something solid, like a tree, a building or a car.
  - Take extra care near cows with young calves, which defend them fiercely, and keep dogs well away.

### Body parts

- **Antlers** (up to 35 kg a full set of antlers) [1][2][3]
  - Only bulls grow antlers. They are the largest antlers of any living mammal and can weigh up to about 35 kg.
  - A big bull grows a whole new set in a single summer, adding about 2.5 cm and 0.45 kg of bone a day.
  - While they grow, antlers are covered in soft, furry skin called velvet, fed by blood vessels. Bulls rub it off on small trees before the rut.
  - The biggest antlers usually grow when a bull is 10 to 12 years old.
- **Bell** (Both sexes can have a bell) [4][1][5]
  - The bell, or dewlap, is a flap of fur-covered skin that hangs under the throat.
  - Bulls have the most obvious bells. Cows may or may not have one.
- **Nose** (Unique nose among deer) [1][6]
  - A moose has a long, drooping muzzle that hangs over its mouth.
  - Inside are huge nostrils, extra muscles and fatty pads. No other deer has a nose built like this.
  - Anatomists think its main job is closing the nostrils, which could perhaps help when a moose feeds in water.
- **Ears** (≈25 cm ear length) [1][7][5]
  - Moose have long ears, about 25 cm.
  - Ears laid flat back, like an angry cat or dog, are a warning sign: you are too close.
- **Shoulder hump** (up to 2.3 m height at the shoulder) [1][3][7]
  - A short, thick neck and humped shoulders hold up the moose's heavy head and antlers.
  - At the hump a big moose can stand up to about 2.3 m tall.
  - When a moose is upset, the long hairs on its hump stand up.
- **Mouth** (up to 23 kg food a day in summer) [3][2]
  - Moose browse: they strip leaves and twigs from willows and other shrubs and trees.
  - Where there are many moose, they can leave a browse line 1.8–2.4 m above the ground, with almost no leaves below it.
  - In summer they also eat water plants such as water lilies and duckweed.
- **Legs** (70 cm snow that limits their range) [3][8][1]
  - Long legs let moose wade into lakes and cope with deep snow better than any other hoofed animal in the Yellowstone area.
  - Scientists rank snow skills by chest height and how much weight each foot carries. Moose score high.
  - Even so, snow deeper than about 70 cm for long periods seems to stop moose spreading further north.
- **Coat** (15–25 cm length of winter hairs) [9][1][2]
  - The coat is very dark brown to almost black.
  - Its long guard hairs are hollow, which traps air and keeps the moose warm.
  - Newborn calves are red-brown. By late summer they grow a coat like their mother's.
- **Stomach** (≈3.4× more food in July than January) [1][10]
  - Microbes in the moose's gut ferment tough plant food, and that fermentation makes heat.
  - With a huge body, no sweating and all that gut heat, moose can't cope with temperatures above about 27 °C for long.
  - In a study of two moose cows, they ate about 3.4 times more (by dry weight, for their size) in July than in January.
- **Tail** (8–12 cm a tiny tail) [1][3]
  - For such a big animal, the tail is tiny: about 8–12 cm.
  - In winter, when bulls have no antlers, a white patch under the tail shows that a moose is a cow.

### Stats

| Stat | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bull weight | 542–725 kg | prime Alaskan bulls; up to 771 kg recorded [4][1][18] |
| Cow weight | 364–591 kg | adult Alaskan cows [4] |
| Shoulder height | up to 2.3 m | the largest living deer [1][3][18] |
| Antler weight | up to 35–36 kg | grown in one summer; as heavy as 2 or 3 newborn calves [1][2][4] |
| Antler growth | ≈2.5 cm a day | plus about 0.45 kg of bone a day [2] |
| Food per day | up to 23 kg | in summer; about 4.5–5.5 kg in winter; about 4–5 times more in summer than in winter [3] |
| Calf at birth | 13–16 kg | about 10 times heavier 5 months later [4][2] |
| Twins | <10% to 75% | of births, from poor to good habitat [4][19] |
| Pregnancy | ≈230 days | calves born in late May or June [2][1][3] |
| Lifespan | rarely over 16 years | in the wild [2][4] |

### Photos

- [A bull with palm-shaped antlers, Glacier National Park, USA](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bull_Moose_(Alces_alces)_(29771391948).jpg) (photo: Glacier National Park (NPS), Public domain)
- [A cow feeding in a lake, Glacier National Park](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cow_moose_(32850084400).jpg) (photo: David Restivo (NPS), Public domain)
- [A cow with twin calves](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cow_moose_with_her_two_calves.jpg) (photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain)
- [Antlers still growing, in velvet, Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge, Wyoming](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bull_Moose_in_Velvet_Seedskadee_NWR_(14820442661).jpg) (photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie, Public domain)
- [A cow swimming ahead of her calf, Isle Royale, USA](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moose_swimming_in_the_Rock_Harbor_channel.jpg) (photo: NPS, Public domain)
- [Cow and calf feeding in the Bowron River, British Columbia, Canada](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moose_in_Bowron_Lake_Provincial_Park%2C_BC_(DSCF3983).jpg) (photo: Benoit Brummer (Trougnouf), CC BY 4.0)
- [Early-season snow on a bull's antlers, Denali, Alaska](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alces_alces_Denali_National_Park.jpg) (photo: Jacob W. Frank (NPS), Public domain)
- [Long legs for deep snow, Yellowstone, USA](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_bull_moose_walks_through_the_snow_(52563750481).jpg) (photo: Addy Falgoust (NPS), Public domain)
- [A Eurasian elk (moose) bull in a moose park in Jämtland, Sweden](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eurasian_Elk.jpg) (photo: Erik van Elderen, CC0)
- [A rare white moose in Norway](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:White_moose.jpeg) (photo: Lasse Dybdahl, CC BY-SA 4.0)

### Questions

- **Is a moose the same as an elk?** Yes and no. In Europe, Alces alces is called the elk, and in North America it is called the moose: same animal. But the North American “elk” is a different deer, Cervus canadensis, also called the wapiti. [1][4][18]
- **How big is a moose?** Moose are the largest living deer. They can stand up to about 2.3 m at the shoulder. Prime Alaskan bulls weigh 542–725 kg and cows 364–591 kg. [1][4]
- **Can moose swim?** Yes, they are excellent swimmers. They cross rivers and lakes, cool off in water and feed on water plants. In Alaska, moose apparently swim about 10 km across Clarence Strait. [9][2]
- **What do moose eat?** Mostly leaves and twigs of willow and other shrubs, plus water plants such as water lilies in summer and woody browse and subalpine fir in winter. In Yellowstone an adult eats up to about 23 kg a day in summer and about 4.5–5.5 kg in winter. [3]
- **Are moose dangerous?** Moose are not usually aggressive, but they are huge and will defend themselves and their calves. In Alaska, more people are injured by moose than by bears each year. Stay far away, keep dogs back and never feed them. If one charges, get behind a tree, building or car. [7]
- **Why do moose lose their antlers?** Bulls shed their antlers at the start of winter, which helps them save energy, and grow a new set the next summer, at about 2.5 cm a day. [3][2]
- **Do moose have twins?** Often. A cow has one or two calves, born in late May or June. Twins range from under 10% of births in poor habitat to as many as 75% in good habitat, and triplets happen occasionally. [4][9][3]
- **How can drivers avoid hitting a moose?** Drive more slowly where moose live and stay alert. In Sweden, police record about 4,500 moose crashes a year, and a study found that lower speeds, wildlife fences and roadsides cleared of bushes are among the best ways to prevent them. [23]

### Moose myths and facts

Tap Myth or Fact for each claim, then check the answer.

- "In Europe, “elk” means the same animal as the North American moose." **Fact!** Alces alces is called moose in North America and elk in Europe. Confusingly, the North American “elk” is a different deer, Cervus canadensis, also called the wapiti. [1][4][18]
- "Moose antlers are one of the fastest-growing body parts of any animal." **Fact!** A big bull can add about 2.5 cm and 0.45 kg of antler a day. Alaskan biologists call antler the fastest-growing tissue in any mammal, and researchers call antler regrowth one of the fastest rates of organ growth in the animal kingdom. [2][11]
- "Bull moose keep their antlers all year." **Myth!** Bulls shed their antlers at the start of winter and grow a new set the next summer. In winter you can see only the bony stumps (pedicles) on the head. [3][2]
- "Only bull moose have a bell." **Myth!** Bulls have the most obvious bells, but cows can have one too. Some do and some don't. [1][5]
- "Moose are gentle giants that never hurt people." **Myth!** Moose are not normally aggressive, but in Alaska more people are injured by moose than by bears each year. Most charges are bluffs. Watch from far away and never feed them. [7]
- "Bull moose barely eat during the rut." **Fact!** During the autumn rut, bulls almost stop feeding. A study found this happens at the same time as their scent-marking, which may be linked. [15]
- "A moose can stay under water for minutes when it dives for plants." **Not proven!** Moose do wade in and eat plants off the bottom, often with their heads under water, and their noses seem built to close. But we found no measured breath-hold time or diving depth. [9][6]
- "A moose's hollow hair helps it float." **Not proven!** The long guard hairs really are hollow, and that makes them warm. Whether they also help a swimming moose float has, as far as we can tell, not been measured. [1]

### Moose records

Superlatives and record holders, each checked against its source.

- Biggest deer alive: Moose, up to 2.3 m tall (the largest member of the deer family; prime bulls weigh 542–725 kg) [1][4]
- Biggest antlers of any mammal: Bull moose, up to 35 kg (the largest antlers of any living mammal) [1]
- Speed-grown bone: Moose antlers, ≈2.5 cm a day (called the fastest-growing tissue in any mammal) [2][11]
- Heaviest moose subspecies: Alaska moose (Alces alces gigas), 771 kg (the heaviest bull on record in the species account) [1]
- Long-distance swim: Alaskan moose, ≈10 km (reportedly across Clarence Strait to Prince of Wales Island) [2]

### A moose year

From calves in spring to antler drop in winter. Timings are for North America and vary by region.

- **Spring**: New antlers start. Bumps on the bull's forehead swell and new antlers begin to grow, covered in velvet. Last year's calf is chased off before the new calf is born. [3][2]
- **Late May–June**: Calves are born. After about 230 days of pregnancy, a cow gives birth to one calf, or often twins where food is good. Each weighs 13–16 kg. [3][2][4]
- **June–July**: Salad days. Moose visit salty mineral licks, then wade into lakes for sodium-rich water plants. Water feeding peaks in late June and early July. [13][12]
- **Summer**: Antler rush. A big bull's antlers grow about 2.5 cm a day. Moose eat up to about 23 kg of food a day and cool off in water on hot days. [2][3][5]
- **Late summer**: Velvet off. Antlers reach full size. Bulls rub off the velvet on small trees and brush. [3]
- **Late Sep–early Oct**: The rut. Cows groan, bulls grunt and rival bulls push their antlers together. Bulls barely eat. [2][3][15]
- **Early winter**: Antlers drop. Bulls shed their antlers, which helps them save energy for the winter. [3]
- **Winter**: Twig diet. Moose eat only about 4.5–5.5 kg a day, mostly woody twigs, and tramp paths in deep snow as they paw for food. In Norway, cows took in 15–30% less energy by late winter. [3][9][20]
- **March–April**: Tick season. Where winter ticks are common, infested moose groom so much that they rub off their winter hair early. [21]

### Moose antlers: a new set every year

Moose antlers are bone, not horn. They grow, harden, fall off and grow back every year.

- **≈36 kg** grown in one summer. A big bull can grow an 80-pound (36 kg) rack in a single summer. [2]
- **2.5 cm** a day. At top speed, antlers add about 2.5 cm and 0.45 kg of bone a day. [2]
- **Every year** a brand-new set. Deer are the only mammals that regrow a lost organ, their antlers, every year. [11]
- **10–12 yrs** age of the biggest antlers. Bulls grow their largest antlers at about 10 to 12 years old, though some reach trophy size at 6. [2][4]

### Moose vs caribou vs elk (wapiti)

Three big northern deer, and the name “elk” means different ones in Europe and North America.

| | Moose | Caribou / reindeer | Elk / wapiti |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific name [1][22][18] | Alces alces | Rangifer tarandus | Cervus canadensis |
| Other names [1][4][22][18] | Elk (in Europe) | Reindeer (in Europe and Asia) | Elk (in North America), wapiti |
| Weight [4][22][18] | Bulls 542–725 kg | 55–318 kg (adults) | Bulls ≈320 kg |
| Shoulder height [1][22][18] | up to 2.3 m | up to 1.2 m | Bulls ≈1.5 m |
| Who has antlers [1][22][18] | Bulls only | Both sexes | Bulls only |
| Antlers drop [3][22][18] | Early winter | Bulls after the rut; cows in spring | March–April |
| Rut [2][22][18] | Late Sep–early Oct | Oct–early Nov | Sep–Oct |
| Social life [9][22][18] | Mostly alone | Groups; a bull guards 5–15 cows in the rut | Herds |

Weights and heights come from different regions and sources, so treat them as rough guides.

### Moose safety: give moose space

Moose are calm most of the time, but they are huge and will defend themselves and their calves. Watch from far away.

- **More than bears** injuries in Alaska. In Alaska, more people are injured by moose than by bears each year. Moose get aggressive when harassed by people, dogs or traffic, when hungry and tired in deep snow, or when protecting a calf. [7]
- **Ears back** means: back away. Hump hairs raised, ears laid back or lip licking mean you are too close. Back away slowly. [7][5]
- **Get behind** something solid. Most charges are bluffs, but if a moose charges, get behind a tree, building, fence or car. [7]
- **Calf alone?** mum is nearby. A calf on its own probably means its mother is close by. Leave the way you came. [7]
- **Dogs** are seen as enemies. Moose see dogs as enemies. Keep dogs away from moose and never let them chase one. [7]
- **≈4,500** moose crashes a year in Sweden. On roads, lower speeds, wildlife fences and clearing bushes from roadsides all help, and drivers can watch out where moose live. [23]

Never feed a moose: moose fed by people are more likely to charge, including at children.

### Are moose endangered?

Not worldwide: moose live right across the northern forests of North America, Europe and Asia. But some southern populations are shrinking.

- **IUCN Red List:** Least Concern (LC). Least Concern worldwide. We could not confirm the global trend, so we leave it out. [24][25]
- IUCN Red List, assessment published 2016
- **Threat: Winter ticks** (>50%): In New Hampshire and Maine, tick outbreaks killed more than half of 9- to 12-month-old calves in late winter in bad years. Researchers think climate change may be making outbreaks more frequent. [26]
- **Threat: Warmer weather** (−5 °C): Moose overheat easily: above −5 °C in winter and above 14 °C in summer. Warmer seasons can mean more heat stress. [16]
- **Threat: Roads** (≈4,500 a year): In Sweden, police record about 4,500 collisions between vehicles and moose each year. [23]
- **Threat: Losing habitat** (<200): In Yellowstone, fewer than 200 moose remain after 40 years of decline, linked to loss of old forest, fires, hunting outside the park and predators. [3]
- **Helping: Safer roads**: Lower speeds, wildlife fences and clearing roadsides can cut moose–vehicle collisions. [23]
- **Helping: Young forests**: Fires, floods and logging let young trees and shrubs grow, which can mean more food and more moose. [1][4]
- **Helping: Counting and care**: Wildlife managers track pregnancy, twinning and body condition to set hunting limits. [2][19]
- **Helping: Long-term studies**: On Isle Royale, scientists have followed moose and wolves for decades: the moose population has swung between 500 and 2,400 since 1980. [5]

### Moose signals: how to read a moose

- Feeding or resting calmly, ignoring you: Relaxed. Stay far away and keep it that way. [7]
- Stops and stares straight at you: It has noticed you. Time to back away. [5]
- Ears laid flat back: Upset. You are too close. [7][5]
- Long hairs on the hump stand up: Angry or scared. A charge may follow. [7][5]
- Licking its lips: Agitated. If you can see this, you are much too close. [7]
- A calf on its own: Its mother is probably nearby. Leave the way you came. [7]
- Bull rubbing antlers on small trees in late summer: Rubbing off the velvet before the rut. [3]

### Family

- **Bull**: Adult male with broad, flat antlers from spring to early winter and a large bell under the throat. (Prime Alaskan bulls weigh 542–725 kg) [1][5][4]
- **Cow**: Adult female with no antlers and often a smaller bell or none. A pale patch under the tail helps tell her from a bull without antlers. (Alaskan cows weigh 364–591 kg) [1][3][4]
- **Cow with calf**: Newborn calves are red-brown and weigh about 13–16 kg. They stay close to their mother for about a year. (Twins are common where food is good) [2][4][1]
- **White moose**: A rare moose with a white or mostly white coat. White moose have been recorded in northern Ontario, Canada, and photographed in Norway. (Very rare. We found no study of why their coat is white) [17]

### Moose quiz

1. What is a moose called in Europe? **Elk.** In Europe, Alces alces is called elk. In North America, “elk” means a different deer, the wapiti. [1][4]
2. Which moose grow antlers? **Bulls only.** Only bulls grow antlers. In caribou, both sexes do. [1][22]
3. How fast can a big bull's antlers grow? **≈2.5 cm a day.** About 2.5 cm and 0.45 kg of bone a day. [2]
4. When do bull moose shed their antlers? **At the start of winter.** They drop them at the start of winter and grow a new set the next summer. [3]
5. What is a moose's “bell”? **A flap of furry skin under the throat.** The bell, or dewlap, hangs under the throat. Bulls have the most obvious ones. [1][9]
6. Why do moose eat so many water plants in early summer? **They are full of sodium (salt).** Water plants have much more sodium than twigs, and moose pick the saltiest ones. [12][13]
7. In winter, a moose starts to overheat above about… **−5 °C.** Its breathing speeds up above −5 °C in winter. In summer that happens above 14 °C. [16]
8. How much can an adult moose eat in a summer day? **Up to about 23 kg.** In Yellowstone, up to about 23 kg a day in summer, but only about 4.5–5.5 kg in winter. [3]
9. What might the moose's strange nose be good for? **Closing the nostrils under water.** Anatomists think its muscles and fatty pads form a nostril-closing system. It may also help with smelling in stereo. [6]
10. Which is a warning sign from a moose? **Ears laid back and hump hairs raised.** Raised hump hairs, ears laid back and lip licking all mean you are too close. [7][5]
11. A moose charges at you. What do wildlife experts say to do? **Run and get behind something solid, like a tree or car.** Most charges are bluffs, but don't wait to find out: get behind a tree, building, fence or car. [7]
12. Moose twins are most common… **Where food and habitat are good.** Twinning ranges from under 10% in poor habitat to as high as 75% in good habitat. [4][19]

### Sources (checked 2026-10-16)

1. [De Bord D. Alces alces (Eurasian elk). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Alces_alces/)
2. [Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Moose species profile.](https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=moose.printerfriendly)
3. [U.S. National Park Service. Moose, Yellowstone National Park.](https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/moose.htm)
4. [Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Wildlife Notebook Series: Moose (PDF).](https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/education/wns/moose.pdf)
5. [U.S. National Park Service. Moose, Isle Royale National Park.](https://www.nps.gov/isro/learn/nature/moose.htm)
6. [Clifford AB, Witmer LM (2004). Case studies in novel narial anatomy: 2. The enigmatic nose of moose (Artiodactyla: Cervidae: Alces alces). Journal of Zoology 262:339–360.](https://doi.org/10.1017/S0952836903004692)
7. [Alaska Department of Fish and Game. What to do about aggressive moose.](https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=livewith.aggressivemoose)
8. [Telfer ES, Kelsall JP (1984). Adaptation of some large North American mammals for survival in snow. Ecology 65:1828–1834.](https://doi.org/10.2307/1937779)
9. [U.S. National Park Service. Moose, Denali National Park and Preserve.](https://www.nps.gov/dena/learn/nature/moose.htm)
10. [Renecker LA, Hudson RJ (1985). Estimation of dry matter intake of free-ranging moose. Journal of Wildlife Management 49:785–792.](https://doi.org/10.2307/3801712)
11. [Price JS, Allen S, Faucheux C, Althnaian T, Mount JG (2005). Deer antlers: a zoological curiosity or the key to understanding organ regeneration in mammals? Journal of Anatomy 207:603–618.](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7580.2005.00478.x)
12. [Fraser D, Chavez ER, Palohelmo JE (1984). Aquatic feeding by moose: selection of plant species and feeding areas in relation to plant chemical composition and characteristics of lakes. Canadian Journal of Zoology 62:80–87.](https://doi.org/10.1139/z84-014)
13. [Fraser D, Thompson BK, Arthur D (1982). Aquatic feeding by moose: seasonal variation in relation to plant chemical composition and use of mineral licks. Canadian Journal of Zoology 60:3121–3126.](https://doi.org/10.1139/z82-396)
14. [Bubenik G, Bubenik P (2008). Palmated antlers of moose may serve as a parabolic reflector of sounds. European Journal of Wildlife Research 54:533–535.](https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-007-0165-4)
15. [Miquelle DG (1990). Why don’t bull moose eat during the rut? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 27:145–151.](https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00168458)
16. [Renecker LA, Hudson RJ (1986). Seasonal energy expenditures and thermoregulatory responses of moose. Canadian Journal of Zoology 64:322–327.](https://doi.org/10.1139/z86-052)
17. [Armstrong ER, Brown G (1986). White moose, Alces alces, sightings in northern Ontario. Canadian Field-Naturalist 100:262–263.](https://doi.org/10.5962/p.355606)
18. [U.S. National Park Service. Elk, Yellowstone National Park.](https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/elk.htm)
19. [Franzmann AW, Schwartz CC (1985). Moose twinning rates: a possible population condition assessment. Journal of Wildlife Management 49:394–396.](https://doi.org/10.2307/3801540)
20. [Hjeljord O, Sæther B-E, Andersen R (1994). Estimating energy intake of free-ranging moose cows and calves through collection of feces. Canadian Journal of Zoology 72:1409–1415.](https://doi.org/10.1139/z94-186)
21. [Samuel WM (1991). Grooming by moose (Alces alces) infested with the winter tick, Dermacentor albipictus (Acari): a mechanism for premature loss of winter hair. Canadian Journal of Zoology 69:1255–1260.](https://doi.org/10.1139/z91-176)
22. [Animal Diversity Web. Rangifer tarandus (caribou). University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Rangifer_tarandus/)
23. [Seiler A (2005). Predicting locations of moose–vehicle collisions in Sweden. Journal of Applied Ecology 42:371–382.](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2005.01013.x)
24. [Hundertmark K (2016). Alces alces. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T56003281A22157381.](https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T56003281A22157381.en)
25. [Wikidata (2026). Moose (Q35517): taxon name Alces alces, IUCN status, identifiers.](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q35517)
26. [Jones H, Pekins PJ, Kantar LE, Sidor IF et al. (2019). Mortality assessment of moose (Alces alces) calves during successive years of winter tick (Dermacentor albipictus) epizootics in New Hampshire and Maine (USA). Canadian Journal of Zoology 97:22–30.](https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2018-0140)

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 240-320 cm
- **Weight:** 200-771 kg
- **Lifespan:** 15-25 years
- **Litter Size:** 1-2
- **Gestation:** 220-260 days

## Diet & Feeding

Moose are plant-eaters that munch on leaves, twigs, bark, and even plants found under the water.

- **Primary Foods:** Willow twigs, Aspen leaves, Birch bark, Water lilies, Pondweed, Shrubs
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** Grey Wolf (*Canis lupus*) — Main predator, often targeting calves or weak moose.
- **Eaten by:** [Black Bear](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-bear) (*Ursus americanus*) — Occasionally preys on moose calves during spring.
- **Eats:** Willows (*Salix*) — A main food: moose browse the leaves and twigs of willows and other shrubs.
- **Eats:** [Quaking Aspen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/quaking-aspen) (*Populus tremuloides*) — Browses on bark and shoots, important winter food.

## Traits

- [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.
- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Antlered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/antlered): Antlered describes animals possessing antlers, which are bony, branching growths found predominantly on male deer and related species.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
- [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment.
- [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability.
- [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.

## Collections

- [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals)

## Safety

**Danger:** 4/5 · High

Very dangerous if provoked — give them plenty of space.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Moose?

Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Moose?

240-320 cm

### How much does Moose weigh?

200-771 kg

### How long does Moose live?

15-25 years

### What does Moose eat?

Moose are plant-eaters that munch on leaves, twigs, bark, and even plants found under the water.

### Where is Moose usually found?

Forests, wetlands, and near lakes.

### How many babies does Moose usually have?

1-2

## Where to spot

- [Algonquin Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/algonquin-provincial-park) — Ontario, CA · State Park
- [Chicken Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chicken-historic-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District
- [Grundy Lake Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grundy-lake-provincial-park) — Ontario, CA · State Park
- [Illinois Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/illinois-street-historic-district) — Alaska, US · Historic District
- [Jackson Lake Lodge](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jackson-lake-lodge) — Wyoming, US · Historic Site
- [Kincaid Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kincaid-park) — Alaska, US · Park

[View all places to see Moose](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/moose)

## More Mammals

- [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*)
- [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*)
- [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*)
- [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*)

---

Source: [Moose: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/moose)