Elk is the largest representative in the Deer family. It is also the tallest ungulate after the giraffe. But if a giraffe reaches such a height due to long neck, then the elk is a true giant. From time immemorial, moose have been hunted, but the attitude towards this animal was not purely consumerist, but respectful. Among the American Indians, bearing the name Moose was considered an honor.

Elk (Alces alces).

Among other deer, the elk stands out sharply due to its appearance. The first thing that catches your eye is its huge size - the body length can reach 3 m, the height of the elk exceeds 2 m, and its weight is 500-600 kg. The elk's body is relatively short, but its legs are very long. The muzzle of the elk also does not look like its brothers. The moose's head is large and heavy, the muzzle is long, the large upper lip hangs slightly over the lower one. Elk horns have a characteristic shape: the base of the horn (trunk) is short, from it the processes radiate forward, to the sides and back in a semi-fan, the trunk is connected to the processes by a flattened part - a “shovel”. For this shape, the elk received the nickname “elk”.

Some moose have a fold of skin hanging under the throat, the so-called “earring”.

However, the shape of the horns varies among moose from different regions. Their size also depends on the age of the elk: the older the animal, the wider the size of the “shovel” and the more branches it has. Only males wear moose antlers. The color of moose is the same - dark brown with a lighter belly and legs.

An extremely rare white moose.

The hooves of elk, compared to other deer, are very wide. This shape of hooves is necessary for animals to move through the viscous soil of swamps, which is not easy for such a giant. Long legs allow elk to easily move in dense forests, along muddy river banks and deep snow.

If necessary, elk can easily reach speeds of 30-40 km/h.

Its distribution area is huge. It is found in Europe, Asia and North America from the tundra border in the north to forest-steppe regions in the south. In prehistoric times, moose formed the basis of food primitive people along with deer, aurochs (primitive bulls) and mammoths. Moose have now been extirpated from many parts of their range. For example, in Western Europe they can only be found in Scandinavian countries.

A huge elk in the forest can be invisible.

Moose are purely forest animals. On the one hand, they gravitate toward dense and impassable forests, on the other, they are often forced to feed on the edges and in thickets along the banks of rivers. In North America, moose often visit populated areas.

A moose wandered into a parking lot (USA). The photo clearly shows the real size of the beast.

Moose lead a solitary lifestyle and even during the rut do not form large concentrations. Moose feed mainly on branches of trees and bushes. In some tree nurseries, moose are pests because they can completely eat a couple of hectares of young pines over the winter.

Moose especially like branches of willow, birch, aspen and pine.

In summer, moose willingly eat grass, mushrooms and even algae. Elks are generally partial to aquatic vegetation; they gladly visit bodies of water, where they not only hide from summer midges, but also graze. An elk can even dive for a portion of algae, although usually it is enough for a long-legged elk to simply bend its neck.

Elk feeds in a pond.

The mating season for moose begins in August-September. The males begin to roar dully. Females come to their call. Elk rarely form large aggregations during the rut, and they also do not engage in exhausting fights between males.

Usually, after several such butts, the weak one gives way to a stronger opponent.

Females give birth to one (less often two) moose calves in April-May. Like all deer, moose calves prefer to lie down under some bush for the first week of life (although they can walk), only then do they begin to accompany their mother.

Female moose with calf.

It is interesting that at first the long-legged elk calves cannot reach the grass and graze on their knees.

A young elk grazes on his knees.

However, babies grow quickly and soon begin to eat on the same basis as their mother. Moose live 20-25 years, but in nature they usually die earlier. Moose have many natural enemies. The large size of the moose does not scare away predators, but rather even attracts them. After all, by killing one such giant you can provide yourself with food for many days to come. The main enemies of moose are wolves and bears. If a large bear can fight an elk on equal terms, then wolves contrast elk with agility and numbers. A wolf alone will not dare to fight an elk, but a pack of wolves poses a serious danger. Wolves often follow the tactic of driving (wearing down) an elk, driving it out into the open and surrounding it.

A pack of wolves caught a moose.

It is difficult for Sokhat to maintain a perimeter defense, especially if the fight takes place on the ice of a reservoir. Here the elk's legs perform a sad service. Long-legged moose are completely helpless on ice and can simply break their limbs (even without the participation of wolves). The picture looks completely different when the elk is in the thicket. Here he often takes a defensive defense: covering his rear with some tree or thickets of bushes, the elk defends itself from attackers with blows from its front legs. With these signature blows, the elk is capable of splitting the skull of a wolf and can easily defend itself against a bear. Therefore, predators avoid meeting elk face to face. Elk calves can be attacked by cougars and lynxes. For moose, winter lack of food poses a great danger; some animals die in winter from exhaustion.

For humans, elk is also a desirable prey. Elk meat tastes like beef, but as always main reason human vanity becomes the hunt for it. Moose antlers taken from a live animal are considered an honorable trophy. And often not even horns, but simple photography with the obtained trophy, becomes the goal of this hunt. Few people know that the formidable and powerful elk can be easily tamed. By the way, moose are rarely seen in zoos. Moose are difficult to keep because they consume a lot of branch food, which is not easy to provide for the animals. Moose are also sensitive to overheating, so they are not kept in zoos in hot countries. But in the Pechoro-Ilych Nature Reserve in the 50-60s, experiments were conducted on the domestication of elk. Unlike most crazy experiments Soviet era, these attempts were very successful. Within a short time, it was possible to create a moose farm, all of whose pets were absolutely tame and controllable. It turned out that to tame a moose, it is enough to simply feed it milk.

Little moose calves become so attached to a person that they simply perceive him as their mother.

The experiment revealed another unusual quality of moose - they have phenomenal memory. An elk fed by a human remembers its teacher all its life! There were cases when moose raised by people went into the forest, but when they met many years later, adult wild animals recognized the person and responded to the name! The question is, why does a person need a domesticated elk? It turned out that there are many discoveries on this issue as well. Not only can elk be a source of meat, it can also be milked. Moose milk has a higher fat content than cow's milk, and males can be used as draft animals. Sounds funny? But don't rush to conclusions. After all, domesticated moose were not intended for middle zone, but for remote taiga areas, where traditional livestock farming has no place. It turned out to be more profitable to use moose to move across deep off-road terrain than horses. But the experiments did not receive a worthy continuation. As usual, the country’s leadership decided that they would drive all-terrain vehicles and lay railways V permafrost more correct than messing around with living beings. But in the USA, moose farms still exist.

Elk is the largest representative of the deer family. The elk lives in Europe, North America, central Russia, on Far East.

Anyone who has seen a moose will confirm that this is an animal of impressive size. So how much does an adult moose weigh if it is that big?

Appearance

Where does moose live?

Moose common in forest areas Northern Hemisphere, less common in forest-steppe and steppe. In Europe lives in the following regions:

In North America, the elk lives in the northeastern United States, Alaska, and Canada.

There are about 1.5 million moose all over the Earth, 730,000 of this number live in Russia.

Various sources claim that there are from 4 to 8 subspecies of elk. The largest representatives belong to the East Siberian and Alaskan subspecies. The smallest is Ussuri.

Nutrition, lifestyle

Elks inhabit forests, live on the banks of rivers and steppe lakes, and are found in thickets of willow trees; in the forest-tundra - along birch and aspen forests. In the tundra and steppe, animals can be observed far from the forest.

Reservoirs are of great importance for animals., near which moose escape the heat and find edible aquatic vegetation. In winter they prefer conifers and mixed forests. Where the level of snow cover is no more than 50 cm, animals lead a sedentary lifestyle; in snowier regions, they move to places with less snow for the winter. Migration to wintering areas usually occurs in late autumn. The females and cubs go first, followed by the males. During the day, the animal can cover 10-15 km. The return to their previous place of residence occurs during the period of snow melting.

Moose do not have strictly defined resting and feeding times.. Here everything is dictated by the season. In summer the animals are predominantly nocturnal; in winter they are active during the day. The location of their camps depends on the availability of food. IN Central Russia these are young pine forests, in Siberia - thickets of willow or birch trees, in the Far East - rare coniferous forests. One stall can be occupied by several elk at the same time. There is information that on small area 100 or more animals were collected.

Here's what moose eat:

• grass;
• shrubs;
• woody vegetation;
• mushrooms;
• lichens.

In summer they take out leaves even from tall trees, love to eat near-water and aquatic plants, grass. Towards the end they begin to eat the branches. During a thaw, they eat the bark. An adult moose eats about 30 kg of food per day, in winter - about 15 kg. Thus, an elk consumes more than 7 tons of feed per year. Imagine how much the moose weighs afterwards.

If the number of animals is large, they can damage forest nurseries and plantings. Animals often visit salt licks, and in winter they lick salt from the roads.

Moose – excellent swimmers and runners. Can remain underwater for more than a minute; the sense of smell and hearing are developed, although vision is rather weak. They defend themselves from predators by striking their front legs.

The elk attacks people very rarely, usually when the biped approaches the cubs or under other irritants.

Social structure, reproduction

Single individuals of both sexes live separately, but occasionally they can live in groups of 4-5 animals. In summer and winter, females live with elk calves; sometimes single individuals join them; by spring, this formation disintegrates.

The rut occurs in the fall, at this time you can hear the characteristic roar of males. During this period, animals are extremely aggressive and can even attack humans. Males arrange fights, as a result of which one of the rivals often dies. Because the animals are monogamous, they rarely mate with more than one female moose.

Pregnancy lasts about 235 days. One cub is born, although older females occasionally have twins. Elk calves stand on their feet immediately after birth, and after a couple of days they are able to move around. Sexual maturity occurs at approximately 2 years.

IN natural conditions The life expectancy of an elk is about 10 years, but in captivity it can increase to 22 years.

Economic purpose

Game animal. In a number of countries they tried to domesticate it, but the idea was not successful due to the complexity of its maintenance. But since Soviet times, two moose farms have remained in the Russian Federation: the Pechora-Ilych Nature Reserve and the Kostroma one.

Moose milk is similar to cow's milk, but is fattier, which is why it is often used in medicinal purposes. Moose meat is much tastier than meat other deer are softer and more tender.

Number

Poachers cause great damage to the population. Diseases and injuries also lead to a reduction in the number of animals, often causing death. The number of moose is also decreasing due to predators.

Annual mortality in adults is 7-16%; among young people, in the first year of life, up to 50%. Moose are hunted by wolves and bears. As a rule, sick, old and young animals become prey. Strong adult The wolf is not dangerous.

Most often, the elk gets sick due to a tapeworm that infects nervous system, and also because of the tick.

Moose are often hit by cars, and, by the way, vehicle drivers often suffer. Don’t forget, an elk can weigh a lot.

Large deer - the largest of all modern species families. In general appearance, the elk is a very powerful and strong, somewhat heavy, but slender animal. Its build is peculiar and very different from that of other deer, primarily by its high legs, powerful and massive development of the chest and shoulders, and a large, heavy head. The animal usually holds its neck and head low, more or less horizontally.

Since the elk’s legs are very high, the body, which is generally of normal length, looks relatively short, the withers are high and, together with the elongated hair covering it, forms a kind of hump. The back is straight, the sacrum is slightly lower than the withers, the croup is relatively weak, sloping, the tail is very short, significantly less than half the length of the ear and is invisible in a living animal. The neck is relatively short, thick and powerful. The head is relatively very large, elongated (approximately equal in length to the neck) and narrow, hook-nosed. The upper lip is very large and massive, as if swollen, quadrangular in shape when viewed from above, and hangs strongly over the lower lip. The nostrils are large and directed downwards. The ears are very large and wide, oval in general shape, but pointed at the ends, very mobile. The eyes are relatively small. There are small preorbital glands. Under the throat, both sexes have a more or less long soft skin outgrowth (“earring”) hanging down. The earring in profile has the shape of a triangle, sometimes sausage-shaped. Largest size it reaches animals at the age of 3-4 years, later it becomes shorter and wider. The length of the earring is up to 35-40 cm, usually 20-25.

The hooves are large, long and narrow, strongly pointed in front. In the female they are somewhat narrower and sharper than in the male. The side hooves (panogails) are relatively large, set low, and when walking on soft ground they rest on the ground and take on part of the load.

In general appearance, a cow does not differ from a bull, but her physique is somewhat lighter, her chest and scapular areas and withers are less powerfully developed. Animals in the first months of their life are distinguished by a particularly pronounced disproportion of the trunk and limbs - with a weak trunk, the legs are especially long. In addition, their heads are relatively smaller and their upper lip is swollen very little, almost normal. In its first winter, the young elk is still very different in proportions from the old ones and acquires a more or less typical appearance of an adult animal no earlier than two years of age.

The antlers of elk are very variable in size and structure - larger than those of our other deer, except, perhaps, the northern one. Changes, other than those associated with age, are partly geographical in nature, and partly the horns vary greatly individually. In the type, the elk horn consists of a short trunk extending from the skull horizontally and perpendicular to the sagittal plane of the body, and a wide flattened, more or less curved shovel, the plane of which is directed in its smaller part forward, mostly to the sides, mainly back. With the head in a horizontal position, the plane of the shovel is located almost horizontally, only rising slightly posteriorly. Branches extend from the shovel forward, outward and backward, but not inward (not towards the neck). They are also directed slightly upward, continuing the concave figure that the shovel itself forms. All of them are more or less the same and evenly frame the periphery of the shovel, but more often the processes directed forward are larger than the others and seem to be separated from the shovel. Often there is greater independence of individual processes on other parts of the shovel, apparently more often in the back or posterolateral, and a certain kind of dissection of the shovel itself.

This type of horn can reach very large sizes. However, in most cases, the flat part of the shovel itself is small, and the shoots are long. As a rule, the larger the flat part of the shovel, the shorter the shoots and vice versa. Maximum horns have a very large, long and wide (up to 60 cm or more) blade with short processes, often with a distinct forward-directed blade-process, bearing two or three processes at the end.

The second type of horn is the same type of “shovel”, but a powerful separate process, usually forked at the end, is separated from it forward, representing, as it were, two anterior processes with the front part of the shovel. Between this type and the "typical" horns there are various intermediate forms. Both of these types are very similar, and the differences between them are more quantitative. Significant features of the following - the third type of horn.

The third type of antler is the “deer” type, does not have a shovel at all and is a rather thick short trunk, branching symmetrically in a more or less horizontal plane. The processes are directed forward, to the sides and back and bend upward.

Between the indicated types of horns, especially the first two, there are various transitions; Moreover, each of them is subject to large variations. The most common antler in our elk is one with a small spade and long processes, usually with a prominent anterior forked massive process. The number of processes on especially large horns reaches 36 (on both horns), and maybe a little more. There is a known geographic localization of these types, especially the “deer” antler.

Age-related changes in the horn are as follows. In the second year, the bull carries a small unbranched “spoke”; in the third year, it usually develops two ends (fork). Subsequently, the horn changes without any strict pattern, except for the most general one - the older the animal, the larger and more massive its horns, the larger the shovel and the shorter the processes on it. In extreme old age, degradation and secondary simplification of the horn are observed, which, apparently, can go very far.

The hair of an elk is the same as that of other deer - it is coarse, slightly wavy, thick hair with airy cavities (especially in winter fur), brittle. On the body, the hair of winter fur is about 10 cm long or a little longer, along the ridge it is slightly longer. The hair is especially long at the withers (up to 16-20 cm) and along the top of the neck, where it forms a kind of mane. Long hair at the withers largely creates that “hump” that is so characteristic of the overall appearance of the elk’s figure. On the sides of the neck the hair is not so long and only slightly longer than that covering the sides of the body.

The head is covered with short and somewhat softer hair. They are especially short, but more elastic along the entire front part of the muzzle, which they cover entirely. Only in the middle of the upper lip is there a very small bare space of an oval, pear-shaped or triangular shape. It is so small that it does not reach far to the nostrils. Sometimes, along with this bare area, there is one small one on each side of it, closer to the nostrils. The moose's lips are covered with hair up to the very border of the mouth.

On the legs, especially in their lower half, the hair is short, does not have wavy bends, is slightly arched, elastic and very strong, especially on the front side of the legs. This is an adaptation of an animal that must move through deep snow most of the year.

The color of the body, upper legs, neck and most of the head of an adult animal is one-color, rich, brownish-black or almost black. The end of the muzzle is light gray, even whitish. The color of most of the limbs, from approximately the middle of the lower leg and forearm, is light gray, sometimes almost white with a silvery tint, sharply contrasting with the general color of the body. There is no mirror.

There are no significant differences in the color of animals in summer and winter fur. There is only one molt in a year - spring; it, however, drags on for most of the summer. Beginning in April, molting is most intense in May and June, with remnants of worn-out winter fur remaining in July. Full short summer fur (August) is darkest, almost black, and shiny. Later, due to hair growth in winter, the color gradually lightens somewhat and becomes more brownish and dull. Wearing out the dark ends of the hair in winter also leads to the development of brownish tones. There are no gender differences in color.

The coloring of newborns and in the first months of life (before the first winter plumage) is even, dark brown or reddish-brown throughout the body. The front of the muzzle and legs are painted the same color. Sometimes there is a dark stripe along the top of the neck and in the area of ​​the shoulder blades along the ridge. Juveniles never have spotted coloration.

Adult bulls have a body length of up to 300 cm, a height at the withers of up to 225-235 cm, an ear length of about 26 cm, a tail of 12-13 cm. Weight is up to 570 kg. The span of the horns is up to 150 cm, their weight is up to 20 kg, but sometimes more.

The total length of the skull is up to 620 mm, the zygomatic width is up to 240 mm. Cows are always somewhat smaller and lighter.

Elk is a mammal belonging to the order Artiodactyla and the suborder Ruminant. The name of this animal comes from the Old Slavonic ols, indicating the red tint of the fur of newborn elk calves. Also, this animal is called elk. It received this name because its horns are a plow, which is used when cultivating the land.

In summer

In summer, the diet of animals consists of the following components:

1. Leaves of trees and shrubs: aspen, ash, rowan, maple, bird cherry.
2. Umbrella high grass, growing in burnt areas and clearings: fireweed, fireweed, meadowsweet, nettle.
3. Plants growing near water or swamps: trifoliate, water lilies, horsetails, sedge (in spring and early summer).
4. Mushrooms.
5. Branches and berries of lingonberries, blueberries.

In summer there is a great abundance of food, but this is not enough for the proper functioning of the animal’s body. Branches remain the basis of nutrition, without which the digestion process in animals is disrupted. Due to the lack of branches in the zoo, herbivorous moose died, although they had plenty of other food - hay, concentrates.

in winter

During the first half of winter, animals eat deciduous trees and shrubs: raspberries, willow, pine, rowan. Linden and alder are useful for them. In the second half of winter, they feed coniferous trees. The transition to such foods is not due to the lack of suitable types of nutrition, but to the needs of the body. Forced winter food includes birch shoots, which contain low nutrients.

To survive the winter without harm to health, animals eat hay. They consume up to 1 kg of hay per day. Studying the food that elk choose in winter, scientists came to the conclusion that hay is not a forced food. The elk prefer hay, even with an abundance of deciduous and coniferous food.

IN southern regions animals feed on tree bark and lichens. In the north, the bark freezes, and elk cannot eat it, and the lichen is hidden under the snow. There are other foods under the snow: sedge and berry bushes. To avoid heat loss, they drink little water and do not eat snow.

Habitat

Moose are found in the Northern Hemisphere. Distributed in Russia (from the Kola Peninsula to the steppes in the south), in Europe (Finland, Norway, in the northern part of Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, in the Baltic countries). They also live in Asian countries: the Far East, Northern Mongolia and northeast China. The animal is found in the taiga part of Siberia, right up to the forest-tundra. They live in the USA: in the northeast, Alaska and Canada.

Now, the moose population is not in danger of extinction, but in the 19th century, the animals that inhabited Europe were completely exterminated. Since 1920, active measures began to protect elk and restore their population in European countries.

Area

In Russia, the area where elk live covers almost all forest zones and forest-tundra. In winter, the animals live in small island forests of spruce-deciduous trees, choosing valleys protected by mountains. The coverage of the habitat of these animals is very wide:

• in summer they can be seen in open tundras several hundred kilometers from the forest zone;
• sometimes, animals reach the shores of the northern seas;
• in winter they migrate south, to the forest-tundra.

Contrary to popular belief, moose are not a taiga animal. This idea was formed at a time when these animals were almost completely exterminated in the central part of Europe.

The following habitat zones can be distinguished:

1. Forest-steppe - coniferous or mixed forests in which there are swamps, small rivers, and streams. In the forest, moose prefer to settle where young growth and fireweed grow densely - the favorite food of moose. These animals do not live in forests without growth, with tall trees. Moose prefer to live along the banks of lakes and rivers, in willow thickets and sedge bogs.
2. Forest-tundra. Moose choose birch and aspen forests to live.
3. The banks of steppe rivers and lakes. They look for banks overgrown with bushes and small trees. Often, moose choose wetlands overgrown with shrubby birch, pine, and willow trees. Animals eat aquatic vegetation.
4. Mountain taiga. Elk are found in areas with gentle terrain - wide valleys, swampy or saturated with water sources. Elk are found at altitudes of up to 1800-2000 m above sea level, and in Altai in the chars and wetlands - up to 2200-2400 m.

When choosing suitable living conditions, the elk looks for a good shelter from midges. This factor has great importance in the life of an animal. In places where they can be detected by people and other enemies, animals hide during the day in dense, swampy thickets of alder or coniferous growth. It's hard to see moose there.

Moose live in one area for a long period. This is due to the sedentary lifestyle of the animal and the fact that in search of food they can walk short distances. In summer, the distance of movement of elk is greater than in winter. In the cold season they roam to less snowy lands from areas where the thickness of the snow cover reaches 70 cm. This situation is observed in Siberia, the Urals and the Far East. In spring, animals return to their habitual habitats. In winter, moose live on shady slopes, since the snow is looser in the shade.

Reproduction

By the third year of life, moose begin to reproduce. Mating begins in August-September and continues until November. The typical behavior of a male is to choose only one female during the rut. At this time, males can be aggressive and lose caution. They fight with other males, break tree branches with their horns, go out onto roads, and can attack people. The beginning of the rut can be recognized by the dull lowing roar that the males emit in the morning and evening.

Moose mate several times a day. Pregnancy lasts 225-250 days. Elk calves are born from April to July. The female brings 1 calf, weighing 6-16 kg. He is able to stand on his own a few minutes after birth. After a few days, the cub can follow the moose. At this time, the calf’s color is uniform, light red.

The moose feeds the cub for up to 4 months. Milk is similar to cow's milk, but differs in higher fat content and higher protein content. In six months, the weight of the calf increases 10 times. The weight of an adult moose reaches 360-650 kg.

Enemies

In the wild, the elk has little natural enemies. Its size and strength scare away small predators. Only bears (grizzly or brown) and wolves can attack them.

Bears prefer to hunt in northern regions where there is a lot of snow. They come out of their dens and guard the elk, or try to drive the prey into dense thickets that prevent the elk from fighting off with its hooves. Bears hunt persistently, sometimes they chase elk through the snow crust for many kilometers. More often, a bear attacks a pregnant moose cow or young moose calves. Females protecting their young behave fiercely. An elk, fighting off a bear, can injure or kill it with blows from its hooves.

Wolves prefer different hunting tactics. They choose areas where there is little snow, because in deep snow they cannot catch even young moose calves. It is difficult for a wolf to attack an adult, since it can easily deal with it with its hooves. Alone, the wolf rarely attacks. Wolves attack elk in a pack, coming from behind.

Smaller predators attack wounded and exhausted animals or young moose calves. The main enemy of the moose is man. Since ancient times, people have hunted moose for meat and hides.

The most major representative The deer family is the elk. This is a species of one and a half million animals. This population has about 8 subspecies. The animal lives both in America and in Eurasia. Some scientists divide American and Eurasian artiodactyls into two separate species. In general, these large animals, living in different regions, differ from each other in body size and horn shape.

Distribution and habitat

The original homeland of moose is North America. These are Alaska, Canada and the northern regions of the USA. In Canada, animals live almost throughout the entire territory, with the exception of the Arctic regions. In the USA, they inhabit the states of Minnesota, Michigan, the northern region of New England, which includes 6 states, as well as the northern regions of New York state. There is a beast in Pennsylvania too. The largest animals live in Alaska. They hold first place in terms of size of horns and body weight. The second place in these parameters is occupied by moose from Eastern Siberia.

In Europe, the mighty artiodactyl lives in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland, as well as in the Baltic countries. It is found in the south of the Czech Republic, Belarus and Ukraine. In Russia it lives in the northern regions up to the Yenisei. From time immemorial it lived in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran, but today it has been exterminated in this region. Lives in the East Siberian taiga and Mongolia. Previously, China and the Korean Peninsula were inhabited in large numbers. In modern times, it has become an exotic animal in these lands.

The moose's habitat is taiga, as well as mixed deciduous forests located in zones with temperate and subarctic climates. The animal is found in the forest-tundra and steppe. But he leaves the forest thicket only in the summer and can move hundreds of kilometers away from it. He likes to have a lake, a river with a weak current, or a marshy area nearby. The presence of bushes is also required. In such places, elk escape the summer heat and feed on nutritious aquatic vegetation. In winter, it prefers wooded areas with light snow cover. If there is a lot of snow, then the animals migrate to other areas. An elk (another name for elk) travels 15-17 km per day.

Appearance

Elk is a large animal. On average, depending on the subspecies, it is 30 cm taller than deer. The height at the withers ranges from 1.4 to 2.1 meters. The largest Alaskan subspecies reaches a height of 2.3 meters. The weight of males is 380-700 kg, females weigh 200-360 kg. Body length 2.4-3.2 meters. Tail length is from 5 to 15 cm.

The elk's horns are huge and spade-shaped. Their ends are crowned with teeth. In some males, the horns can grow up to 1.8 meters. On average, they have a size of 1.2-1.5 meters and a weight of 20-30 kg. Females do not have horns - this is the prerogative of only males. Elk shed their antlers annually in November-December. In April-May they begin to grow again. They grow within 3-5 months. This is the fastest growing organ of the artiodactyl body. It is interesting that when a male is castrated, he immediately sheds his horns and others begin to grow. These new formations remain on the animal's head until the end of its days.

In my own way appearance the beast is very different from deer. His neck is short and his withers are high. It forms a kind of hump. The legs are long, so the animal cannot drink water when standing. This artiodactyl cannot, like a giraffe, spread its legs, so it kneels or goes far into the water. The head is large. The upper lip is large, fleshy and hangs over the lower lip. There is a kind of skin pouch under the throat. The wool is hard. Its color is brownish-black. The legs have a light gray tint. There are albino moose. Their fur is completely white. Such animals are very clearly visible in the forest.

Reproduction and lifespan

The mating season for moose takes place in September-October. Males are polygamous, so they strive to fertilize several females. They notify the surrounding area of ​​their desire with a dull roar. You can hear it up to a kilometer away. The stronger sex becomes very aggressive and does not tolerate rivals. Fights often occur between males. In this case, one of the participants in such a fight may receive serious injuries and even die.

Pregnancy lasts 8 months. One baby is born. Twins are very rare. This significant event takes place in May-June. In newborns, the fur has a reddish tint. A few minutes after birth, the elk calf gets to its feet and begins to walk. Milk feeding lasts 4 months. Milk is very nutritious - full-fat, high in protein. Sexual maturity occurs at two years. The young moose stays with its mother until she gives birth to a new baby. Life expectancy of elk wildlife is 12-15 years old. In captivity, the animal lives up to 25 years. The mortality rate among children is high. Only every second person survives to one year.

Behavior and nutrition

This is a herbivore. He needs 30 kg of food per day. The animal feeds on grass, moss, tree leaves, lichens, and mushrooms. He loves aquatic plants very much. It eats berries, young shoots and branches, and does not disdain tree bark. Sokhaty is a frequent visitor to salt licks. He loves salt and regularly licks everything that may contain it. The animal has perfectly developed hearing and sense of smell. Vision is weak. The animal swims beautifully and runs fast. On flat terrain, a moose reaches a speed of 55 km/h. Lives in small groups or alone. Females walk with elk calves, forming small groups of 6-8 individuals.

Enemies

Man has been hunting elk since ancient times. He was always attracted to the skin and meat of large animals. Luxurious horns have also played an important role at all times. You could hang them at home and show them off to your friends. The beast itself almost never attacks a person first. This can happen if you make him very angry. In all other cases, the animal leaves, preferring to stay away from two-legged aggressive creatures. Today this species is protected by law. Hunting for it is allowed only with a license and during a certain period of time.

On the territory of Russia at the end of the first decade of the 21st century, there were 730 thousand powerful artiodactyls. In 2007, 500 thousand of these animals lived in Canada. In Finland in 2009 there were 115 thousand moose. In Norway there are 120 thousand. In the United States (excluding Alaska), according to 2007 estimates, there were 50 thousand animals. In Alaska, according to the Department of State Fish and Game, there are currently 200 thousand elk living.

In the wild, the artiodactyl's enemies include wolves and bears. Grizzly especially loves elk meat. As for wolves, a strong young male easily copes with these gray robbers. Females also do not allow themselves to be offended. When attacked, an elk usually defends itself with its legs. Their blow is often fatal to the predator. Therefore, wolves are limited to young animals, as well as old and sick animals. However, this state of affairs is typical for all our smaller brothers. It is always youth and strength that survives. Often, elk die under the wheels of cars while crossing roads. True, in similar situation Motorists themselves suffer when they ignore traffic rules.