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The '''moose''' (''Alces alces'') is the world's largest [[deer]]. Moose are generally associated with northern forests in [[North America]], [[Europe]], and [[Asia]]. In Europe they are called '''elk'''.

The '''moose''' (''Alces alces'') is the world's largest [[deer]]. Moose are generally associated with northern forests in [[North America]], [[Europe]], and [[Asia]]. In Europe they are called '''elk'''. The name moose comes from the Proto-Algonquian word ''mooswa'', meaning "the animal that strips bark off of trees."

[[Native Americans]] ate moose meat for protein. The meat was dried and used as jerky as well as eaten fresh. One moose contains enough meat to feed a family of four for a year{{fact}}. However, no part of the animal went to waste – tribal peoples also tanned the hides and turned them into clothing and shoes, using strips of rawhide to make laces and straps. They carved antlers and used them as tools and for artwork and to function as buttons. The hair was used for decoration, and to make fishing flies.  The name moose comes from the Proto-Algonquian word ''mooswa'', meaning "the animal that strips bark off of trees."

Moose are long-legged and heavily bodied with a drooping [[nose]], a dewlap of loose flesh (called a 'bell') under their chin, and a tiny tail. Their color ranges from golden brown to almost black, depending upon the season and the age of the animal.  Males in prime condition weigh from 1,200 to 1,600 pounds, with the [[Alaska]]n subspecies (''A. A. gigas'') the largest. Adult females weigh 800 to 1,300 pounds. Only the males moose have [[antlers]], producing trophy-size antlers when they are 6 or 7 years old, but the largest antlers are grown at approximately 10 to 12 years of age. In the wild, moose rarely live more than 16 years.<ref>http://www.smouse.force9.co.uk/facts2.htm</ref>

They are most abundant in recently burned areas that contain [[willow]] and [[birch]] shrubs, on timberline plateaus, and along major rivers. This is because they strip leaves and twigs off hardwood trees for food - moose eat 40-50 lbs of vegetation in a day. In winter they feed on balsam fir, but the nutritional value of this is too low to sustain them permanently. They also eat grass and lichen and other plants from the forest floor. They are ruminants that chew the cud like cows, and have a similar four-chambered stomach. Moose are good swimmers and can browse underwater on pondweed, underwater plants and water lilies, also submerging to protect themselves from biting insects.  

Moose are color-blind, although they see well in low light. Because of their eye position, they have a large blind spot directly in front of them and have to roll their eyes forward to see things there. However, they can move both their eyes and ears independently of each other. They compensate for their poor eyesight by having excellent senses of hearing and smell.

Moose are most active at dawn and dusk, and most likely to be seen near roads between mid-May and July, where they lick salt left on the roads from winter.<ref>http://portlandme.about.com/library/howto/htmoose.htm</ref> Moose are color-blind, although they see well in low light. Because of their eye position, they have a large blind spot directly in front of them and have to roll their eyes forward to see things there. However, they can move both their eyes and ears independently of each other. They compensate for their poor eyesight by having excellent senses of hearing and smell.  

*''A. A. alces''; Northern Europe, and known as the Eurasian elk.

*''A. a. andersoni'', central North America, as far south as North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and northern Michigan, and north to Nunavut, Northwest Territory, and the Yukon.

*''A. a. cameloides'', far east Siberia, Mongolia, northern China.

*''A. a. caucasicus''; formerly of the Caucausus area of Europe and Asia, now extinct.

*''A. a. gigas''; Alaska and the Yukon of Canada, largest subspecies.

*''A. a. shirasi'', Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Oregon, and Washington.

Moose are long-legged and heavily bodied with a drooping [[nose]], a dewlap of loose flesh (called a 'bell') under their chin, and a tiny 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 reddish brown fading to a lighter rust color within a few weeks. Newborn calves weigh 28 to 35 pounds and within two months grow to over 400 pounds. Males in prime condition weigh from 1,200 to 1,600 pounds. Adult females weigh 800 to 1,300 pounds. Only the males moose have [[antlers]]. The plural of moose is moose. The largest moose antlers in North America usually come from [[Alaska]]. Trophy class moose 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, but the largest antlers are grown at approximately 10 to 12 years of age. In the wild, moose rarely live more than 16 years.<ref>http://www.smouse.force9.co.uk/facts2.htm</ref>

They are most abundant in recently burned areas that contain [[willow]] and [[birch]] shrubs, on timberline plateaus, and along major rivers, striping leaves and twigs off hardwood trees for food - moose eat 40-50 lbs of vegetation in a day. In winter they feed on balsam fir, but the nutritional value of this is too low to sustain them permanently. They also eat grass and lichen and other plants from the forest floor. They are ruminants that chew the cud like cows, and have a similar four-chambered stomach. Moose are good swimmers and can browse underwater on pondweed, underwater plants and water lilies; they also submerge themselves to gain relief from biting insects. Moose are most active at dawn and dusk, and most likely to be seen near roads between mid-May and July, where they lick salt left on the roads from winter.<ref>http://portlandme.about.com/library/howto/htmoose.htm</ref>

Moose breed in the fall with the peak of the ''rutting'' activities coming in late [[September]] and early [[October]]. During mating season, males splash their bells with urine-soaked mud to attract females. <ref>http://portlandme.about.com/cs/moose/a/MooseMating.htm</ref> 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 all the females. By late October, once the adult males have exhausted their summer accumulation of fat and their desire for female company, they begin feeding. Antlers are shed as early as [[November]], but mostly in [[December]] and [[January]].

Moose breed in the fall with the peak of the ''rutting'' activities coming in late [[September]] and early [[October]]. During mating season, males splash their bells with urine-soaked mud to attract females. <ref>http://portlandme.about.com/cs/moose/a/MooseMating.htm</ref> 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 all the females. By late October, once the adult males have exhausted their summer accumulation of fat and their desire for female company, they begin feeding. Antlers are shed as early as [[November]], but mostly in [[December]] and [[January]].

The natural predators of moose are [[wolf|wolves]], black and brown [[bear]]s and [[human]]s. 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 and not hibernating. [[Wolf|Wolves]] kill moose throughout the year.  

Newborn calves weigh 28 to 35 pounds and within two months grow to over 400 pounds. Calves is generally reddish brown fading to a lighter rust color within a few weeks.  

With the decline of the natural predators of moose, tree regeneration declines as moose populations increase. States with large moose populations therefore hold annual lotteries for a limited number of [[hunting]] licenses. It is both illegal and dangerous to feed wild moose, as it habituates them to humans; such moose often become aggressive if the next person they meet does not offer food. Another threat to the well-being of moose out of all proportion to its size is the winter tick, which irritates the moose's skin. Rubbing off patches of hair reduces the moose's protection from extreme cold, and in severe winters this can kill half the moose in a heavily infested area.  

==Relation with man==

[[Native Americans]] ate moose meat for protein. The meat was dried and used as jerky as well as eaten fresh. No part of the animal went to waste – tribal peoples also tanned the hides and turned them into clothing and shoes, using strips of rawhide to make laces and straps. They carved antlers and used them as tools and for artwork and to function as buttons. The hair was used for decoration, and to make fishing flies.  

It is unusual for moose to be domesticated, but they have been known to serve as work animals, as can be seen in these historical photographs:

With the decline of the natural predators of moose, tree regeneration declines as moose populations increase. States with large moose populations therefore hold annual lotteries for a limited number of [[hunting]] licenses.  Moose are hunted in [[Alaska]], most famously by [[Sarah Palin]].

 

Although never domesticated, tame moose have served as work animals, as can be seen in these historical photographs:

* Moose hauling wood (Quebec, c.1930) [http://www.museevirtuel.ca/pm.php?id=record_detail&fl=0&lg=Francais&ex=00000067&rd=170539]

* Moose hauling wood (Quebec, c.1930) [http://www.museevirtuel.ca/pm.php?id=record_detail&fl=0&lg=Francais&ex=00000067&rd=170539]

* Moose pulling a wagon (Alberta, 1898) [http://www.archivesalberta.org/odd/moose.htm]

* Moose pulling a wagon (Alberta, 1898) [http://www.archivesalberta.org/odd/moose.htm]

* Moose pulling a wagon (Skaguay, Alaska, date unknown) [http://www.alaskahistorystore.org/p194.html]

* Moose pulling a wagon (Skaguay, Alaska, date unknown) [http://www.alaskahistorystore.org/p194.html]

==Moose in popular culture==

==Moose in popular culture==

The moose is the official animal of [[Canada]], [[Sweden]], [[Norway]] and the State of [[Maine]]. It is also the mascot of the [[Seattle Mariners]] baseball team, Monchegorsk in [[Lapland]] and the City of Dryden in [[Ontario]]. <ref>http://www.cityofdryden.on.ca/max.shtml</ref> [[Toronto]] displayed and then auctioned over 500 moose statues in 2000, to attract tourists and generate funds for the Canadian [[Olympics]].  

Moose have been portrayed in films on occasion, with the opening sequence to the television series ''Northern Exposure'' being the most familiar to today's audiences<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E5Kzw7RMuU</ref>. In the early 1960's the moose familiar to most Americans was Bullwinkle, star of Jay Ward's animated ''Rocky and Bullwinkle Show''<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65t-OzhlmvE</ref><ref>http://bullwinkle.toonzone.net/</ref>.

Moose don’t usually thrive in captivity, but in South Portland, Maine, is the world's largest (and perhaps only) life-sized chocolate moose. He's called Lenny, is 8 feet tall and 9 feet long, and is made of 1,700 lbs of milk chocolate. <ref>http://www.lenlibby.com/lenny.htm</ref>

Moose don’t usually thrive in captivity, but in South Portland, Maine, is the world's largest (and perhaps only) life-sized chocolate moose. He's called Lenny, is 8 feet tall and 9 feet long, and is made of 1,700 lbs of milk chocolate. <ref>http://www.lenlibby.com/lenny.htm</ref>

There are also Elk Lodges, which were founded earlier – [[The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks]] was founded in [[New York]] City in 1868, and was originally a society of actors and writers.

There are also Elk Lodges, which were founded earlier – [[The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks]] was founded in [[New York]] City in 1868, and was originally a society of actors and writers.

==References==

==References==

 

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[[Category:Deer]]

[[Category:Deer]]