Here’s a full natural history overview of the Elk / Moose (Alces alces), the largest member of the deer family:

Moose / Elk (Alces alces)

Taxonomy & Classification

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Mammalia
• Order: Artiodactyla (Even-toed ungulates)
• Family: Cervidae (Deer)
• Subfamily: Capreolinae (New World deer)
• Genus: Alces
• Species: A. alces
• Common names: Moose (North America), Elk (Eurasia), Eurasian Elk

General Description

• Size: The largest living deer species.
  • Height at shoulder: 1.4–2.1 m.
  • Length: 2.4–3.2 m.
  • Weight: 200–700 kg (bulls much heavier than cows).
• Appearance:
  • Long legs, humped shoulders, and a distinctive overhanging upper lip.
  • Broad, bulbous nose and a “dewlap” (skin flap) called a bell under the throat.
  • Coat: Dark brown to blackish in winter; lighter brown in summer.
• Antlers:
  • Males (bulls) grow large, broad, palmate antlers (spanning up to 2 m across).
  • Shed annually after the rut and regrown in spring.
  • Females (cows) lack antlers.

Behavior & Lifestyle

• Activity: Mostly crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk).
• Social structure: Solitary; cows with calves are the main exception.
• Movement: Despite their size, moose are strong swimmers and can run up to 55 km/h over short distances.
• Communication: Low grunts, bellows (during rut), and scent-marking.

Diet

• Herbivore (browser):
  • Feeds on twigs, shoots, and leaves of willows, birches, aspens, and other shrubs.
  • Aquatic plants in summer (e.g., pondweed, water lilies)—moose can feed underwater.
• Seasonal diet:
  • Summer: Leaves, herbs, aquatic vegetation.
  • Winter: Woody browse, especially twigs and bark of deciduous trees.

Life Cycle & Breeding

• Mating season (rut): September–October.
• Courtship: Bulls call loudly and fight by locking antlers to establish dominance.
• Gestation: 230–240 days.
• Calving: May–June, usually 1 calf (twins common in good feeding years).
• Calves: Born reddish-brown, stand within hours, stay with mother up to a year.
• Lifespan: Typically 15–20 years in the wild.

Habitat

• Prefers boreal forests, mixed woodlands, wetlands, and river valleys.
• Requires habitats with abundant shrubs and aquatic vegetation.
• In winter, moves to sheltered forested areas with less snow depth.

Geographic Range

• North America: Alaska, Canada, northern United States (Rockies, Great Lakes, New England).
• Europe & Asia: Scandinavia, Baltic states, Poland, Russia, and across Siberia.
• Fragmented populations occur further south in mountain ranges.

Ecological Role

• Browser pressure: Shapes forest regeneration by heavily feeding on young trees.
• Prey: Adults rarely preyed on (wolves, bears, Siberian tigers may take calves or weakened adults).
• Cultural role: Important in indigenous traditions, folklore, and hunting.

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Least Concern.
• Population trends: Stable globally, though declining in parts of southern range due to habitat loss, climate change, and parasites.
• Threats:
  • Vehicle collisions.
  • Overhunting (locally).
  • Climate-related parasites (e.g., winter ticks, brainworm).
• Conservation measures: Regulated hunting, habitat protection, and reintroduction programs.

Interesting Facts

• Moose are the only deer species adapted to feed extensively on aquatic plants.
• Their nostrils can close underwater while feeding.
• They are excellent swimmers—able to cross large lakes and rivers.
• Despite their size, bulls can be extremely aggressive during the rut.
• The Eurasian name “Elk” can cause confusion, since in North America “elk” refers to Cervus canadensis (wapiti).

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