Moose Habitat

Life span: 15-25 years Weight: 550-700 kg (1200-1500 lbs) Body length: 2.5-2.7 meters

Moose are large even-toed herbivorous mammals, the largest of the deer family.

Moose vary in size and shape. Their color varies from a little brown to a dusty black depending on the season and age of the animal. Calves, in comparison, are often a light rusty color.

Moose have long, lighter-colored legs with the front pair longer than the hind ones. Other features include a long nose, drooping lip, hump at the shoulders and small tail. The flap of skin that hangs beneath the throat is called a BELL.



Males weigh on average over 550 kg (1200 lbs) and females often more than 400 kg (900 lbs). New born calves weigh around 15 kg but quickly increase in size, around 300 or 400 pounds by its first winter. An Alaskan moose, one of the largest sub-group, discovered in 1897 holds the record for being the largest known modern deer. It was a bull standing 2.34 meters and weighed 816kg. Its RACK (or antler spread) was 199cm.

Height at the shoulders generally ranges between 6 ½-7 ½ feet (over 2 meters).

The other end of the size scale is the smaller Shiras moose, also known as the 'Wyoming' or 'Yellowstone' moose. These animals are lighter in colour around the ears and back and have smaller hooves and antlers. Unlike other subspecies they are comfortable at higher elevations.

Moose Skull & Teeth

The skull length is 63cm or 24.5 inches. A moose's teeth are specially designed for eating plant materials and for browsing on bushes and small trees. In all they have 32 teeth made up of 12 ridged molars, 12 premolars, 6 incisors and 2 canines: