Elk, also known as elk, is a mammal that belongs to the order Artiodactyla, suborder Ruminantidae, family deer, genus elk (lat. Alces).

The name "elk" presumably comes from the Old Slavonic "ols", indicating the red color of the coat that newborn elk calves have. Another common name for elk in Rus' since ancient times, “elk,” apparently arose due to the similarity of its antlers with a plow, an ancient agricultural tool.

Elk - description, characteristics, structure. What does a moose look like?

Elk is the largest representative of the deer family. The height of the elk at the withers ranges from 1.70 to 2.35 m, the body length reaches 3 m, and the weight, depending on the sex, varies from 300 to 600 or more kilograms. Some sources indicate Weight Limit elk weighing 825 kg. Males are usually larger in size than females. Females weigh approximately 200-490 kg.

Moose are a little clumsy in appearance: long-legged, with a short body. They have a powerful chest and shoulders. Elk legs are long, not thin, with narrow, long hooves. The tail is short but noticeable. The head is heavy, up to 500 mm in length, hook-nosed.

There are large, very mobile ears on the head, a swollen upper lip hangs over the lower lip, and under the throat there is a soft leathery outgrowth, an “earring,” 25–40 cm long.

Moose fur consists of coarser long hairs and soft undercoat. In winter, the fur grows up to 10 cm in length. On the withers and neck, the hair is longer, in the form of a mane, and reaches 20 cm, which is why it seems that the animal has a hump. The softer hair growing on the head even covers the lips of the mammal, only on the upper lip between the nostrils there is a small bare area.

Elk are brownish-black or black on the upper body, which fades to brown on the lower body. The back of the body, croup and buttocks have the same coloring as the rest of the body: the so-called tail “mirror” is absent. The lower part of the legs is whitish. In summer, moose are darker in color than in winter. The length of the animal's tail is 12-13 cm.

There are no front teeth on the elk's upper jaw, but they are compensated by 8 incisors on the lower jaw. Animals also have 6 pairs of molars (molars) and 6 pairs of premolars (small molars), which are used for chewing food.

Moose swim well (they can swim up to 20 km) and run quite fast. The speed of the moose reaches 55 km/h.

Moose have the largest antlers of any mammal. They reach a span of 180 cm and weigh up to 20 kg. The horn consists of a short trunk and a wide, flat, slightly concave blade, which is bordered by up to 18 processes. The number of shoots, their length, as well as the size of the shovel itself are different among moose of different ages. The older the elk, the more powerful its antlers, the wider the shovel, and the shorter the shoots on it. Young elk calves only grow small horns a year after birth.

Initially moose antlers soft, covered with delicate skin and fur. There are blood vessels inside the horns, so the horns of a young animal can hurt when insect bites and bleed when wounded, which naturally causes pain. A year and 2 months after the birth of the animal, the horns harden and the blood supply to them stops. In the fifth year of life, the elk's antlers (antlers) become large, powerful and heavy: the shovel becomes wider and the shoots on it become shorter.

When does an elk shed its antlers and why?

In November - December, the elk sheds its old antlers. This process does not cause pain to the animal, but only brings relief. To get rid of antlers as quickly as possible, elk rub their antlers against trees. In April - May, the animal begins to grow new antlers, which finally harden by the end of July, and in August the moose cleans them from the skin. Females do not have horns.

An elk needs antlers not for protection from predators, as it might seem, but only for a mating ritual. They attract females and scare away rival males. At the end mating season they lose their function, and the elk sheds its antlers. This makes his life easier, since in winter it would be difficult to move with such a weight on his head.

And yet, why do the horns fall off? The fact is that after the mating season, the amount of sex hormones in the elk’s blood decreases, as a result, cells appear at the base of the horns that destroy bone matter and weaken the attachment point of the horns to the skull. Eventually the horns fall off. Shed elk antlers, which contain a lot of protein, are eaten by rodents, birds and predators or softened in marshy soil.

Where does moose live?

Moose are common in the Northern Hemisphere. The now numerous moose population 19th century was completely destroyed in Europe, excluding Russia, and only as a result of conservation measures taken at the beginning of the 20th century, these animals again settled in Northern and Eastern Europe. Now on the European continent, moose live in the countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula (Finland, Norway), in the north of Ukraine, in Belarus, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, the Baltic countries (Latvia, Estonia), in Russia: from the Kola Peninsula in the north to the southern steppes. In Asia, they occupy the taiga zone of Siberia, reaching the forest-tundra, as well as the Far East, northeast China, and northern Mongolia. In North America, moose live in Canada, Alaska and the northeastern United States.

Concerning natural areas habitat, moose usually live in coniferous and mixed forests with swamps, quiet rivers and streams; in the forest-tundra - along birch and aspen forests; along the banks of steppe rivers and lakes - in floodplain thickets; in mountain forests - in valleys, on gentle slopes, plateaus. Elk prefer forests with dense undergrowth and young growth, avoiding tall, monotonous forest areas.

Moose live more or less sedentary and do not move around too much. Making short journeys in search of food, they remain for a long time within the same area.

In summer, the area where elk live and feed is wider than in winter. From places where snow cover reaches 70 cm or more in winter, mammals migrate to less snowy areas. This is typical for the regions of the Urals, Siberia, and the Far East. The first to leave are the moose cows with their calves, followed by the males and females without offspring. In the spring, moose return to their usual habitats in reverse order.

Moose live mostly alone or in small groups. In winter, animals gather in herds in places where there is more food and less snow.

Such favorable places, in which there is a lot of food and a lot of individuals gather, are called a “camp” in Russia, and a “yard” in Canada. In the spring, the moose disperse again.

What does moose eat?

Elk is a herbivorous animal that feeds on trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants, mosses, lichens, and mushrooms. The type of food changes with the changing seasons. In summer, the main food of animals is leaves of trees and shrubs, aquatic plants, and grasses. It is best for elk to eat the leaves of aspen, rowan, ash, maple, birch, buckthorn, bird cherry, and willow. Mammals also love marsh, aquatic and semi-aquatic plants: water lilies, egg capsules, marigolds, horsetails. In spring and early summer they eat large quantities of sedge. Among the herbs they prefer are tall, juicy umbrella herbs, fireweed or fireweed, and sorrel growing in burnt areas and clearings. By the end of summer, moose eat mushrooms, blueberry branches and lingonberries with berries. In the fall, moose's diet also includes bark and fallen leaves. In September, animals begin to bite shoots and branches of trees and shrubs, and by November they almost completely switch to tree food: branches, pine needles, bark. In the first half of winter, moose prefer to feed on deciduous trees and shrubs, and in the second half, on coniferous trees. Winter food for moose includes raspberries, pine, willow, fir, and rowan. Animals also eat bark during a thaw or southern regions, where it does not freeze as much as in the north, they eat lichens, finding them on trees during a thaw or on the ground under the snow. From under the snow, mammals also obtain rags of sedge and berry bushes. In winter, moose drink very little water and do not eat snow so as not to lose heat.

In different parts of their habitat, elk can consume different foods. Very often, animals in one region do not eat food at all, which they eat with pleasure in another region. An adult moose eats up to 35 kg of food per day in summer and 12-15 kg in winter.

In addition, moose love salt very much and visit natural or artificial salt licks almost everywhere: they gnaw salt-rich soil, lick stones, and drink brackish water. Salt licks serve as a source of minerals for moose.

Moose do not have a specific feeding or resting time during the day. In the summer, with the appearance of blood-sucking insects (mosquitoes, horseflies, midges) and the onset of heat, they rest more during the day, lying down in cool or damp places, in clearings where the wind blows, lie in shallow waters, and periodically go into water up to their necks. They feed mainly at dawn or at night. In winter, periods of feeding and rest alternate several times a day. During severe frosts, elk lie down a lot, sinking into loose snow, wandering into the thicket under the cover of young coniferous trees. During the rut, animals are active at any time of the day.

Why does moose eat fly agarics?

Life expectancy of moose

The life expectancy of moose under favorable conditions is 20-25 years. But in nature this period is much shorter and often does not exceed 10 years. Most moose die early: from natural enemies, wolves and bears, from diseases, from the hands of people for whom the moose is the most important game animal, or drown while crossing rivers during ice drift. Young moose calves cannot withstand the cold during long springs.

Types of moose, photos and names

The genus of moose has always been considered to consist of one species - elk (lat. Alces alces). Within the species, several American, European and Asian subspecies were distinguished. Thanks to modern advances in genetics, a new classification has been defined, according to which the genus moose (lat. Alces) there are 2 species: European elk and American elk. The number of subspecies is still undetermined and will likely change.

• View Alces alces(Linnaeus, 1758) - European elk (eastern)
  • Subspecies Alces alces alces(Linnaeus, 1758) - European moose
  • Subspecies Alces alces caucasicus Vereshchagin, 1955 - Caucasian elk
• View Alces americanus(Clinton, 1822) - American Elk (Western)
  • Subspecies Alces americanus americanus(Clinton, 1822) - eastern Canadian moose
  • Subspecies Alces americanus cameloides(Milne-Edwards, 1867) - Ussuri elk

Below is a description of the current species of moose.

• European moose (Alces alces )

In Russia it is often called elk. The length of the elk reaches 270 cm, and the height at the withers is 220 cm. The European elk weighs up to 600-655 kg. Females are smaller in size. The color of the animal is dark or black-brown, with a black stripe on the back. The end of the muzzle and legs below are light. The upper lip, belly and inner parts of the legs are almost white. In summer the color is darker. Moose antlers with a well-developed spade, up to 135 cm in span. The European moose lives in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, the European part of Russia, the Urals, Western Siberia to the Yenisei and Altai.

• American Moose ( Alces americanus)

Sometimes this species is called East Siberian. It has a multi-colored color: the upper body and neck are rusty or gray-brown; the belly, lower sides and upper parts of the legs are black. In summer the color is darker, in winter it is lighter. The weight of an adult moose varies from 300 to 600 kg or more. Body dimensions are approximately the same as Alces Alces. Moose antlers have a widely divided spade. The anterior process, separated from the shovel, branches. The span of the horns reaches more than 100 cm. The width of the shovel reaches 40 cm. The American moose lives in Eastern Siberia, on Far East, in Northern Mongolia, in North America.

Moose breeding

Moose are ready to breed in their 3rd year of life. The mating period begins in August - September and lasts about two months, sometimes it can only end in November. A male rarely has more than one female during the rut. It has happened on elk farms that one male has impregnated several females, but this is not typical.

During the rutting period, moose lose caution and wander along the roads. Males begin the rut with a dull moo, “moan” or roar in the mornings and evenings, they are aggressive, they break branches and treetops with their horns, they can attack people, and they fight among themselves over the female. Mating occurs several times a day, very quickly, within a few seconds. The pregnancy of a moose cow lasts 225-240 days (according to some sources, up to 250 days). Calving lasts from April to July, depending on the habitat. A calf is usually born alone. Old females can have two cubs, one of which often dies.

A newborn moose calf has a light red uniform color. The baby gets up on his feet within a few minutes after birth, and after a few days he can freely follow his mother. A female moose usually feeds it with milk for 3.5-4 months, sometimes longer. Moose milk is similar to cow's milk, but it is fattier (8-13% fat), less sweet and contains 5 times more protein (12-16%). At birth, moose calves weigh from 6 to 16 kg, but they gain weight very quickly and increase it 10 times in six months.

Moose as a pet

There is a practice of domesticating moose. After the first feeding, a wild elk calf becomes attached to a person for life. Females easily get used to milking. Moose are very hardy animals; they can be harnessed to a sleigh and also ridden on horseback. They are indispensable in swampy taiga, difficult forests, and muddy roads. In summer, they can only be used for work at night, as animals can die from the heat. It is much colder in winter, so there is no such restriction.

Elk meat is less fatty and tougher than other deer meat, and is used in the production of raw smoked sausage and canned food.

Enemies of moose in nature

Among animals, moose have few enemies. Not every animal can cope with the “forest giant”. This is possible mainly for bears (brown and grizzly), as well as wolves. Bears attack moose in the snowy northern regions in the spring, when they emerge from their dens. Predators try to either watch for the elk or drive it into dense thickets, where it cannot fight off with its hooves. They can chase moose across the crust for many kilometers. Pregnant moose cows and newborn moose calves often become their prey, although females fiercely protect their offspring. There are cases when moose, in self-defense, killed or seriously injured the hooves of an attacking bear.

Another enemy of the moose is the wolf. Unlike bears, wolves hunt moose in areas with little snow in their habitat. In deep snow, a wolf will not catch even a teenage moose. A wolf does not attack an adult moose unless absolutely necessary. A powerful animal can easily kill him with its hoof. Therefore, wolves prefer to attack young animals and sick animals. Wolves hunt adult moose only in a pack, trying to come from behind.

The importance of other predators, which include wolverine and lynx, for moose is small. They can only harm very young, wounded, sick and exhausted animals.

Since ancient times, elk have been a game animal for humans. At the same time, humans are the main enemy for moose. People, even with the help of primitive weapons, were able to completely destroy moose in Western Europe to the 20th century. Currently, poachers are actively reducing the number of moose, as well as other ungulates. In addition, many moose get hit by cars. But the elk is not listed in the International Red Book and the Red Book of Russia. On this moment protective status animal is of the least concern.

What is the difference between elk and deer?

deer are representatives of the same family, which have significant differences among themselves:

• The elk is the largest of the deer family; an adult elk weighs from 300 to 600 or more kilograms, and its height at the withers can reach 2.35 meters. Deer is a smaller animal. Its weight usually does not exceed 200 kg, and its height reaches 1.5 meters in large species.
• Elk legs are long and thin, widening at the hooves. A deer's legs are shorter and more proportional.
• The antlers of a deer develop vertically, while those of an elk develop horizontally and have a different structure.

Deer above, elk below

• Female moose, like female deer, do not have antlers. But among deer there is an exception: for example, female reindeer wear antlers, and water deer are antlerless, regardless of gender.
• As a rule, moose live separately, and among deer there are both solitary animals and herd animals.
• Elk spend a lot of time in the water, which is not typical for many deer. Although, for example, water deer live in swampy areas, are excellent swimmers and can swim several kilometers.

Deer on the left, elk on the right

• An elk cannot see a motionless person at a distance of several meters, but he has good hearing and sense of smell.
• In Siberia in the old days, in addition to the word “elk”, there was the name “beast”, applicable to moose.
• During civil war in the 1st Cavalry Army of Semyon Budyonny there was a special detachment whose fighters rode moose. These detachments were formed for the rapid movement of combat units in the difficult marshy areas of northern Ukraine and Belarus. Budyonny’s experience was also applied during Soviet-Finnish war. Our elk fighters caused quite a stir among the Finns who happened to see them. Rumors spread among the Finnish soldiers that “the Russians had made a deal with the spirits of the forest.”
• Having discovered that moose droppings contain a lot of cellulose due to the fact that moose mainly feed on wood, the Swedes began to use it to produce environmentally friendly paper “Moose poopoopaper”.
• There has been a monument to the elk in Vyborg since 1928. According to legend, it was erected in memory of the elk who saved a group of lost hunters from a pack of wolves at the cost of his life.
• The calf becomes attached to the person who tamed it for life. A lost, tamed moose cow, having met her “breadwinner” in the taiga 2 years later, recognized him by his voice, followed him 10 km to the farm and stayed there to live.
• In heraldry, the elk is a symbol of endurance, strength and power.

This powerful, beautiful animal evokes admiration with its entire appearance. In ancient times, people worshiped him. His image can be seen on the sarcophagi of ancient tombs and cave walls primitive people. As a heraldic symbol, this animal has always signified strength and endurance. The people respectfully nicknamed him - “the eagled one” - due to the similarity of the shape of the horns with the agricultural tool plow.

The official name is “elk”, from the Old Slavonic “ols”, given to the animal based on the red color of the fur of its cubs. In the old days, the peoples of Siberia simply called the moose “beast.” U North American Indians The Apaches have a legend about a treacherous elk, and the Canadians have a legend about a noble one. In Vyborg there is a monument to an elk who, at the cost of his life, saved lost hunters from a wolf pack.

Description of moose

Elk is a mammal that belongs to the order of artiodactyls, the suborder of ruminants, the deer family and the genus elk. The exact number of moose subspecies has not yet been established. It varies from 4 to 8. The largest of them are the Alaskan and Eastern European subspecies, the smallest is the Ussuri, which has antlers that are not characteristic of an elk, without “blades.”

Appearance

In the deer family, the elk is the largest animal. The height at the withers can reach 2.35 m, the body length can reach up to three meters, and the weight can reach 600 kg or more. Male moose are always significantly larger than females.

In addition to size, a number of other factors distinguish elk from other representatives of the deer family:

• physique: the body is shorter and the legs are longer;
• shape of the horns: horizontal, not vertical like a deer;
• has withers resembling a hump;
• the head is very large with a characteristic “humped nose” and a fleshy upper lip;
• under the throat of a male moose there is a soft leathery outgrowth, up to 40 cm long, called an “earring”.

Because of their long legs, elk have to either go deep into the water or kneel down to drink. The moose's fur is hard to the touch, but has a soft, thick undercoat that warms the animal in cold weather. By winter, the fur grows 10 cm in length. The longest hair on an elk is on the withers and neck, which makes it look like a mane and creates the feeling of a hump on the animal’s body. The coat color varies from black (in the upper part of the body) to brown (in the lower part) and whitish towards the legs. In summer, moose are darker than in winter.

Elk has the largest antlers among mammals. The weight of the horns can reach 30 kg and have a span of 1.8 m. Only males can boast of this decoration on their heads. Female moose are always antlerless.

Every year - at the end of autumn - the elk sheds its antlers, walks without them until spring, and then grows new ones. The older the elk, the more powerful its antlers, the wider their “shovel” and the shorter their shoots.

This is interesting! The antlers fall off due to a decrease in the amount of sex hormones in the elk’s blood after the end of the mating season. Hormonal changes lead to softening of the bone substance at the site of attachment of the horns to the skull. Shed antlers contain a lot of protein and are food for rodents and birds.

Elk calves develop small horns by the age of one year. Initially, they are soft, covered with thin skin and velvety fur, which makes them vulnerable to injury and insect bites, causing significant discomfort to the animal. Such torment lasts two months, after which the calf’s antlers become hard and the blood supply to them stops.

The process of shedding its horns does not cause pain to the animal, but rather relief. In winter, after the mating season is over, the elk don’t need them; they only make it more difficult to move through the snow with extra weight on the head.

Lifestyle

Moose lead a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, preferring to stay in one place if the conditions are comfortable and there is enough food. They are forced to hit the road by winter with a thick layer of snow and lack of food.

Moose do not like deep snow; they look for places for wintering where the snow cover does not exceed half a meter. The females with their calves set out on the road first, the males follow them. They return from the winter hut in the spring, when the snow begins to melt, in the reverse order - the procession is led by males and childless females.

Moose can travel up to 15 km per day. By the way, they run well, reaching speeds of up to 55 km per hour.

Moose are not herd animals. They live separately, one at a time or in groups of 3-4 individuals. They gather in small groups only for the winter and with the onset of spring they disperse again into different sides. Places where moose gather for the winter are called “camps” in Russia, and “yards” in Canada. Sometimes up to 100 elk gather in one camp.

Moose activity depends on the time of year, or more precisely, on temperature environment. In the summer heat, moose are inactive during the day, hiding from the heat and midges in the water, in ventilated forest clearings, in the shade of dense thickets. They go out to feed when the heat subsides - at night.

In winter, on the contrary, moose feed during the day, and at night, to keep warm, they lie down in the snow, like a bear in a den, immersing themselves in it almost completely. Only the ears and withers stick out. If the elk's body temperature drops to 30 degrees, the animal will die from hypothermia.

Only during the rutting period are moose active, regardless of the time of day and temperature.

This is interesting! The body temperature of an elk from running quickly in the heat can rise to 40 degrees and lead to heatstroke of the animal. The reason for this is a special natural repellent that is produced by moose instead of regular sweat - the so-called “fat repellent”.

It protects the animal from the bites of blood-sucking insects, saves it in the cold, but also plays a cruel joke when it is very hot. Grease clogs the pores of the skin, preventing the body from cooling quickly.

Moose hear well but see poorly. No matter how well developed the elk's hearing and sense of smell are, their eyesight is so weak. An elk is unable to distinguish a motionless human figure from a distance of 20 meters

Moose are excellent swimmers. These animals love water. They need it both as salvation from midges and as a source of food. Elk can swim up to 20 km and can stay under water for more than a minute.

Moose are not conflict animals. Their level of aggression increases only during the rutting season. Only then does the elk use its antlers for their intended purpose, fighting with a rival for the female. In other cases, when attacked by a wolf or bear, the elk defends itself with its front legs. The elk does not attack first and, if there is an opportunity to escape, it runs away.

Lifespan

Nature has prepared a significant life span for the moose - 25 years. But in natural conditions this peace-loving giant rarely lives to be 12 years old. This is due to predators - wolves and bears, diseases and people who use moose for their fishing purposes. Moose hunting is permitted from October to January.

Range, habitats

The total number of moose in the world is close to one and a half million. More than half of them live in Russia. The rest live in Eastern and Northern Europe– in Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Hungary, the Baltic States, the Czech Republic, Finland, Norway.

This is interesting! Europe exterminated its moose in the 18th and 19th centuries. It only came to its senses in the last century, when it began to carry out active conservation measures for the surviving single specimens, exterminating wolves, and rejuvenating forest plantations. The moose population has been restored.

There are moose in northern Mongolia, northeastern China, the USA, Alaska and Canada. For habitats, elk choose birch and pine forests, willow and aspen forests along the banks of rivers and lakes, although it can live in the tundra and steppe. But, nevertheless, it gives preference to mixed forests with dense undergrowth.

Moose diet

The moose menu is seasonal. In summer these are leaves of bushes and trees, aquatic plants and herbs. Preference is given to rowan, aspen, maple, birch, willow, bird cherry, water capsules, water lilies, horsetail, sedge, fireweed, sorrel, and tall umbelliferous herbs. Elk cannot browse fine grass. A short neck and long legs. By the end of summer, mushrooms, blueberry and lingonberry bushes along with berries enter the elk’s diet. In autumn it comes down to bark, moss, lichens and fallen leaves. By winter, the elk switches to branches and shoots - wild raspberries, mountain ash, fir, pine, and willow.

This is interesting! The summer daily ration of an elk is 30 kg of plant food, and the winter ration is 15 kg. In winter, moose drink little and do not eat snow, retaining body heat.

The majestic animal elk belongs to the class of mammals. It is one of the varieties of the deer family. The planet is inhabited by almost one and a half million individuals.

Moose antlers are his pride

His distinctive feature from other species of deer are its antlers, they are not like the others. Heavy, spade-shaped, sweeping horns resemble in appearance an arable tool - a plow. Due to this, the elk received the name – elk.

In an adult male, the span of the horns reaches 180 cm, and their weight can be about 30 kg. Every year, from November to December, moose shed their antlers, so if, while walking through the forest, you accidentally stumble upon such an attribute, do not be alarmed, the moose no longer needs these antlers; it will grow new ones. And these can be taken as souvenirs.

Females do not have horns.

Antlers serve as a means of protection for elk; they use them to fend off predators and also to fight rivals.

Appearance of a moose

In addition to the peculiarity of its antlers, the elk is the largest in the family. Its weight is more than half a ton. The largest specimen was noted - a male, whose weight reached 655 kg. Moose cows are smaller than males.

He has a massive wide chest and back, the front part in the area of ​​the shoulder blades is higher, and the neck is short. Large large head, wide elongated muzzle. His upper lip is large and hangs slightly. There is a leathery outgrowth on the neck, it is also called an “earring”.

The moose is quite tall and at the same time thin legs, and in order to drink water, the elk is forced to go deep into the water or bend down, kneeling. But thanks to such legs, the elk runs fast, reaching speeds of up to 56 km/h.

Nutrition

Moose feed on young growth of trees and shrubs, as well as grass; in addition, they can eat mushrooms, mosses and lichens. In winter, they eat tree bark and branches.

Moose do not like heat so they feed more often at night. During the day, it chooses swampy places for feeding, near water or well-ventilated.

Mating period and pregnancy of a moose cow

Mating in moose occurs in the fall, September – October. During this period, the elk shows strong aggression. Males fight each other, unfortunately, sometimes with fatal results.

The moose remains in position for about 8 months. As a result, usually one calf is born, rarely, usually in old females two are born.

Elk calves

The little elk calf is red in color. They are able to stand on their feet within a few minutes after birth.

Elk calves behave like all children. They drink mother’s milk, which, by the way, is very fat – up to 13% and high in protein. They frolic and always stay close to their mother, who will always protect her baby.

Kids are interesting and funny. Watching them is a special pleasure.

Moose cows and moose calves form groups of 3–4 animals. Sometimes males can join such groups.

Where do moose live?

Since moose do not like heat, they are common in the northern part. They occupy forest zones, sometimes forest-steppes and the outskirts of steppes.

In winter, moose can migrate to places with the least snow cover. They move to another place if the snow cover reaches 70 cm. Elks are very patient, hardy and strong. In the spring they return and live in the area settled.

Many coats of arms of cities and regions have images of elk. For some it symbolizes natural resources, in others it shows strength and endurance. The image of a moose is even found on banknotes and stamps.

In many cultures of the world, both modern and ancient, the attitude towards this animal is special and respectful. In Rus', the moose was called the master of the forests, the ancient Scandinavians respected this animal for its nobility and intelligence, and some Indian tribes worshiped the moose as a patron and giver of benefits. The peoples of the Russian north have a belief that the Milky Way is the ski track of a heavenly hunter who is tracking down an elk. And the elk itself, according to Evenki mythology, is the constellation Ursa Major.

Of course, moose do not live in the night sky, but in the northern part of our planet. These large animals choose their habitats based on their lifestyle, habits, and diet. Therefore, anyone who wants to know where moose live should familiarize themselves with other interesting facts about these animals.

Description of the species

Moose are largest representatives deer family. Scientists have not determined exactly the number of moose subspecies, so sources give different data: from four to eight. It is known that the largest one today is the Alaskan elk, and the smallest is the Ussuri elk.

Main hallmark the animal has horns. Their shape resembles a plow, which is why the elk is often called a plow. But, frankly speaking, you can recognize a moose not only by its antlers. He has a unique appearance, expressive and memorable.

The places where moose live can be called impassable, so in the process of evolution the animal acquired strong, long legs with massive hooves. The moose has a large, hook-nosed head with intelligent eyes and large, fleshy lips. Sexual demorphism is well expressed; females are easily distinguished from males by their smaller size and lack of horns.

Lifestyle: what determines the habitat

Let's look at where elk live and what this animal eats in natural environment.

Moose are herbivores, but with an average body weight of six hundred kilograms of food, they require a lot of food. They feed on shrubs and leaves, lichens and mosses. An important part of the diet is mushrooms, among which there are even fly agaric mushrooms. Moose also love berries, and usually eat them along with shoots. They love cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and rowan. In cold and hungry seasons, moose happily gnaw on bark. It’s not hard to guess where the elk lives, since he prefers this kind of food. Of course, in the forest!

But the most obvious answer is not always the only one. Elks also live in swamps, steppes and forest-steppes.

Habitat

The map clearly shows where moose live (highlighted in red).

Moose live in wildlife, national parks and nature reserves in Russia, the USA, Canada, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, in the countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula and the Baltic states, as well as in the Far East (northern Mongolia and China). A small population lives in New Zealand.

Active hunting for the powerful owner of the forests led to the fact that in Europe the elk was almost completely exterminated. Populations were rebuilt from scratch.

Master of Russian forests

When answering the question about where moose live in Russia, many people also name the Arctic zone in addition to the tundra and taiga. This erroneous opinion probably arose due to the fact that a close relative of the moose, the reindeer, is widespread in the Far North.

In fact, moose do not like winters that are too harsh. He confidently overcomes wetlands, but it is difficult for him to wander for a long time in the snow and look for food under it.

The elk population living in Russia is the largest in the world. About half of all existing moose live in Russian Siberia, the Far East and the European part of the country.

eagled emigrant

How could a moose end up on the other side of the earth? This species was introduced to New Zealand Europeans in the 19th century, along with other animals of hunting interest.

The New Zealand population is currently small. Some researchers, relying on the lack of photographs taken by camera traps behind last half century, are trying to prove that there are no moose left in the island state. But many hunters claim that they periodically see elk, and some shed antlers, bedding areas and paths trodden by powerful hooves were even photographed.

Where does the moose spend the winter?

Old hunters are able to determine from the behavior of elk what will happen coming winter. If the females with their cubs, and after a while the males, leave their homes and migrate to the south, it means that there will be a lot of snow, and the thermometer will creep down significantly. Migrations begin in November, when winter has not yet reached its full strength, and the elk calves born in early summer have grown and become strong enough.

Where does elk live in winter? In approximately the same conditions as during the rest of the year. The elk prefer to move to coniferous and mixed forests where it is easier to find food. The places where moose spend the winter are called wintering grounds.

Migrations are not a mandatory habit of elk. Populations living in regions with temperate climate, where no more than half a meter of snow falls in winter, they usually do not roam and lead a sedentary lifestyle.

As at any other time of the year, the availability of water is very important for moose. These animals drink a lot, and, unlike others, they do not eat snow to replenish their moisture reserves, saving heat.

Natural enemies of moose

In the same place where moose live, other animals also live in the forests. Of course, attack large animal Not every predator will dare to fight back. And elk run very well. But wolves can hunt moose, especially in times of hunger. winter time.

True, when answering the question about the main enemy of the moose, animal rights activists, unfortunately, first name the person with the gun. Moose hunting has more than once brought these animals to the brink of extinction; huge herds have perished due to human amusement. Today hunting is controlled.

How to behave where elk live

Of course, looking at massive body on high legs and a big forehead with powerful horns, one can understand that the elk is not so harmless. Deciding that a person is dangerous for the elk family, he can attack.

Experienced huntsmen advise simply to freeze for a moment when you see this animal. Moose can't see very well, so soon the elk will simply pass by. You won't have to wait long; these animals spend the lion's share of their time searching for food.

Drivers should take special care. Moose are not very timid, so when they see moving vehicles, they may not move aside. A direct collision with an obstacle weighing 600 kilograms can throw even a minibus or jeep into a ditch. Some accidents that occur due to moose entering the roadway result in the death of both people and animals.

Protection of animals in their natural habitat

Today, many forestries are taking a number of measures to maintain the size and growth of populations of these animals. In those forests where moose live, in the winter, feeders with hay and vegetables are equipped for them, and salt licks are laid out (moose love to lick salt stones). Hunting is strictly controlled, and poaching is punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Elk is a truly huge animal, and therefore a particularly valuable object of hunting. The weight of the most large specimens may be in the region of half a tone, this is a large amount of tasty healthy meat. In addition, elk skin was used for sewing various products, and antlers were used for crafts. Even in principle, catching such a large animal is a great pleasure. After all, this is a difficult task that can be accomplished by experienced hunters who know the habits of animals well.

Appearance

Elk is a mammal of the deer family, has a body length of up to three meters, a height at the withers of more than two meters, and weighs 350-600 kg. Quite long legs with large hooves connected by movable membranes help them move over uneven terrain: swamps, windfalls. Hooves also serve to protect against predatory animals and other enemies. A blow from such a leg is very dangerous for a person.

It has powerful horns that are widened like a shovel and divided into parts at the ends. Young males have smaller horns; with age they increase and in an adult animal they can reach 20 kilograms in weight. Antlers grow annually, starting in spring, and by winter the elk sheds them. Females do not have horns. Due to its resemblance to the agricultural implement plow, the moose is called elk.

Compared to the long legs and large muzzle, the body seems short, as does the neck. The chest is very wide. On the back there is something like a hump in the area of ​​the nape; another hump-like growth of cartilage adorns the muzzle. The eyes are small, dull, the ears are pointed, long and wide. He hears well, but sees worse.

The coat is long, thick, and consists of a thin spine with a fluffy undercoat. There is a dark mane that extends from the back of the head to the neck and chest. The main color of the coat is reddish-brown, lighter in winter than in summer.

Moose nutrition

The moose lives almost throughout the entire territory of Russia, and is found in the forest zone of Eurasia, North America. It lives in both deciduous and coniferous forests, preferring the former. Although he has more preferred places for each season, this is due to the food supply.

The elk diet includes more than 800 plant species. These are grasses, shrubs, shoots of conifers and deciduous trees, branches. On average, one individual eats up to 5 tons of various food per year. Favorite delicacies are shoots of willow, aspen, rowan, oak, and pine. Loves birch, dandelions in the spring, as well as marsh reeds and reeds. The muzzle is equipped with long lips that help it easily break branches. It deftly removes bark from trees with its teeth.

In addition to food, moose need large quantities water.

Autumn-winter migrations depend on the depth of snow cover. When it increases, moose move to less snowy areas, where it is easier to move and get food. If the snow cover does not exceed half a meter in a given area, animals can lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Moose are known to love water: they happily spend time in rivers and lakes, where they escape from midges and heat. Interestingly, moose can eat not only coastal vegetation, but also aquatic vegetation, diving for it and staying under water for up to several minutes.

Moose lifestyle

Moose can be called lazy animals: they are quite sedentary. If most animals spend a lot of time feeding, after which they go to rest, then the elk alternates all this. He will feed for a couple of hours, lie down for the same amount of time, and then eat again. It doesn’t matter where he lies down; he doesn’t choose a place: he can sink into a swamp or onto hard ground. It does not like to leave its feeding areas, if everything is in order, no one disturbs it, it can live on several hectares for two to three weeks. A kilometer or two passes in a day, although in winter it’s more. However, in case of danger or during the rut, it can cover up to 30 km per day.

By nature, this animal is not particularly cautious, self-confident, and not timid. The animal is considered somewhat clumsy: it often goes straight through the forest, because powerful body this allows. When running away, the elk does not immediately start running, preferring to walk. Given the long legs, even this method of movement is quite fast.

Moose in nature stay alone, sometimes in small groups. Most often this is a female and her small or grown elk calves that follow the mother. Surprisingly, moose calves grow very quickly, outstripping even domestic animals: daily weight gain can be one and a half to two kilograms. Yes, when good conditions The weight of the animal can be:

• at birth – 8-10 kg;
• at 6 months – 150-170 kg;
• at 1.5 years – 300 kg.

In captivity, the life expectancy of an elk can be 25 years, but in natural conditions the maximum age is 15 years; on average, in the wild, elk live 10-12 years.

Natural enemies are wolves, lynxes, wolverines, and bears. Wolverine and the lynx, although smaller than the moose, defeat him thanks to a sudden attack from above from behind: they immediately bite the carotid artery. Wolves usually overpower moose in winter, when the latter are weakened. And of course, the number of wolves is reduced by the people who hunt them.

Reproduction in moose

The time when moose lose their regularity and calmness is the rut. It usually occurs in late summer - early autumn. Lasts about two months. Males during this period are very nervous, irritated, restless. Better for people Don't meet them at this time. You can often hear the voice of a moose. In general, he rarely screams, low and very loud. However, during the rut, the voice of an elk resembles the sounds made by a red deer, only the mighty beast cries intermittently. This is how the male calls his rivals to fight. The contractions can be very fierce, sometimes the horns suffer. Older deer often do not allow young animals to approach females at all. This happens in areas where there are more moose than moose cows. And the more unequal the ratio, the stronger the rivalry.

Sometimes, on the contrary, there are fewer males, since they more often die from hunters’ shots. Then the elk can walk with several moose cows during one rut. Moreover, these animals are prone to monogamy, that is, the male may well spend time with one girlfriend. If he covers several, then he spends a week or two with each one. Before this, the elk calmly and politely courtes, without aggression or pressure, waiting for her friend to respond favorably. However, towards people, especially if moose often meet with them and are not afraid, they can be so aggressive that they even attack.

Females carry their young for about 37 weeks. During the first birth, they usually bring one baby, and then two, often of different sexes. The birth of triplets is also common. Babies are born in April. Like most ungulates, they immediately try to get to their feet as soon as their mother licks them. At first they walk unsteadily, the moose pushes and supports them with her muzzle. After three or four days, the offspring quite successfully runs after the mother. It is interesting that moose calves feed on milk for a long time, until the next estrus. If we take into account that the cubs grow quickly, then by the end of summer they already have to lie down on the ground in order to get to the coveted udder.

Young moose reach full maturity at two years.

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