Elk is a powerful master of native forests. What to do when meeting a Moose? Where does the moose live?

Walk through wild forest always accompanied by intrigue - who can be met in these places. We invite you to meet the true ruler of the forest – the elk. Elk is a unique animal with many interesting features.

Elk is a mammal. The animal represents the order of artiodactyl ruminants. From a distance it can be confused with a deer, because both of these animals belong to the deer family. Distinctive feature animal - branched horns, similar to a plow. Because of this, the name elk is firmly attached to it among the people.

The artiodactyl is rightfully considered the largest representative of the deer. The height at the withers reaches more than 2 m. 30 cm, and the length of its body is 3 m. Few forest dwellers can boast of such “external characteristics”. How much does an adult moose weigh with such an impressive size? In answering this question, it is impossible to name a single figure that can be used as a guide. A young moose weighs about 300 kg, and large adult representatives can exceed the 800 kg mark. On average, weight ranges around 500-600 kg, but females weigh less than males. An elegant moose can weigh only 200 kg in her body.

Taken from wikipedia.com

Moose speed

The chest of the artiodactyl is powerful, and the shoulder girdle is equally powerful. The legs are quite long, moderately thick, but with narrow hooves. This suggests that moose run well and are not forest bumpkins at all. The speed of an elk can reach 70 km/h, so when asked who runs faster, an elk or a deer, the primacy can be given to the elk. But the speed of a deer develops only up to 55 km/h. If we compare who covers the distance faster, a lion or an elk, then the elk loses. Eagles are also excellent swimmers - if necessary, they can swim up to 20 km continuously, but deer cannot boast of this.

The animal's fur is quite coarse, but the undercoat is soft. The animal prepares thoroughly for winter - its fur lengthens by about 10 cm, which prevents it from freezing in winter. The hair on the neck and withers is longer, so it appears as if there is a mane. The color of the elk is very interesting - in appearance it looks almost black, the brown color of its fur is so rich. In the lower part of the body, in the abdomen area, you can see a light brown color, which creates a beautiful ombre. The elk's legs have characteristic white “socks”. IN summer time the animal becomes darker, but by winter the fur becomes a little lighter.

Here is a visual video of a moose running across a field:

Horns

The biggest pride of a moose is its antlers. It was because of them that he became prey for humans. Even in ancient times, elk antlers in the house were considered the main prey of a hunter; they were a symbol of dexterity and good luck in hunting. The weight of such horns can reach an average of 20 kg and this is not surprising, because their span is almost two meters.

The base of the horns is a short trunk and a spade-shaped branch on which 18 branches are located. The elk's horns are individual. The size and location of the processes are distinctive features between animals. Usually the adult representative has the most massive and heaviest shoots, but a small moose can boast of its horns only after its first birthday. Initially they are soft, the base is covered with thin skin and short, delicate fur.

During this period, young individuals suffer from insect bites as they bite through the horns, reaching the blood vessels running inside. After about a year or so, the horns harden so much that active blood circulation in the tissues stops. From this moment on, the horns grow in width, and after five years the width of the shovel will be significantly larger than the shoots. At this age, the horns of a young individual become similar in shape to the horns of an adult.

Usually by the onset of winter the animal sheds its antlers. This is an absolutely painless procedure that brings him relief. To free itself from its antlers, the elk actively rubs them against trees, after which the antlers fall off. In the spring it grows new antlers, which harden in July. By the way, only males have horns, while females are deprived of such decoration.

"The moose has shed its antlers." Author: Theresa Holiday

"Abandoned elk antlers." Author: William Jacobson

There is an opinion that antlers are needed to protect the elk in the forest from other animals, but this is not true. The main purpose of the horns is to attract a female mating season and protecting her from other males. As the mating season passes, the horns become unnecessary. Shedding antlers for winter makes wintering much easier - it is easier for the animal to move around and find shelter.

The immediate cause of the loss of horns is a decrease in the amount of sex hormones produced in the animal’s body. As a result of hormone deficiency, special cells are activated at the base of the horns that can have a destructive effect on bone tissue. It is thanks to their work that the horns weaken significantly and then disappear altogether. The elk's horns become an important food for forest animals - squirrels, birds and predatory animals eat the protein, which is contained in abundance in the horns.

Where does moose live?

Moose live mainly in the Northern Hemisphere. Previously in European countries shooting of moose was allowed, so a century and a half ago there were practically no moose left. Accepted on the territory of Russia environmental laws, thanks to which the moose population was preserved. However, isolated cases of poaching do occur.

Modern Europe also acquired these animals, and they were brought to the north. Moose now live in Belarus, Norway, Finland, Ukraine, Poland, and Hungary. The Baltic countries can also boast of elk. Even-toed ungulates feel at ease in Russia - the distribution area extends from Kola Peninsula to the steppe zone in the south. The elk is widespread in both Canada and the United States of America.

Animals love cool things coniferous forests, where there is marshy soil, rivulets or streams. They feel best in the forest-tundra because there is a lot of different trees. Routine does not suit the animal, so the elk will look for diverse greenery.

Artiodactyls do not move very actively - they look for food near their permanent habitat, and if the area is rich in food, then the elk can stay in such an area for a long time. Since they love medium-sized and low-growing bushes, they suffer from a lack of food in winter. Sometimes the height of the snow cover exceeds 70 cm, which is unacceptable for those places where groups of moose live. This forces the moose to look for a new place to live. The animal cannot get food in such a layer of snow. In this case, animals migrate to places with less snow cover, and in the spring they return to their usual habitat. A group of moose is quite grouped; in winter they try not to wander far from each other, but in spring they show more independence.

To chew food, the elk has eight large and powerful incisors located on the lower jaw. All elk eat is plants, so the animal's teeth are designed for prolonged grinding. Also, six molars and the same number of small molars are involved in the chewing process.

What does an elk eat when living in the forest - of course, pasture plants. Among the animal's preferences are grasses, shrubs, moss, mushrooms, and lichens. Among the trees, elk prefer to eat the succulent leaves of rowan, birch, maple and ash. If there are swamps in the area where the animal usually lives, then the artiodactyl will happily feast on plants growing near water. The elk loves marsh water lily, marigold, and egg pods. When young sedge arrives, animals are happy to include it in their diet.

Author: Stefania Backer

Among herbs, elk prefer fireweed, fireweed, and sorrel. The diet includes lingonberries and blueberries, and in the fall, moose also add tree bark. If an animal loves succulent plants so much, what does a moose eat when autumn and winter come? As soon as the leaves begin to dry and fall off, the elk actively eat the branches. At this time, you can see a lot of bitten bushes in the forest - this is the work of moose. In winter, moose eat tree bark and shrubs - pine, forest raspberry, rowan or fir. All that the elk eats at this time is rather meager and monotonous food. You can get lichen and tree debris from under the snow in winter. The food that elk eat can reach about 35 kg per day in the summer, but in winter it is three times less. IN winter time During the year, moose drink very little water.

Interesting fact

Moose eat mainly in the morning and late evening. In the middle of the day they lie down in places where they are not bothered by blood-sucking insects.

Lifespan

Moose live for about 25 years, but in their natural habitat their life expectancy is about 10 years. Some moose die from predators living in the forest and various diseases. Other animals die at the hands of humans. Winter is an alarming time - many animals die during the movement of ice, and babies do not survive the harsh cold.

Author: Sarah Blare

Author: Richard Hardman

Very often deer and elk are confused. And this is not surprising, because the descriptions of the animals are similar, and only an experienced person will see the differences. Both animals represent the artiodactyl order and the deer family. Of course, belonging to the same classification group ensures similarity between these animals, but there are still significant differences. For example, a moose has heaviest weight from deer, but the weight of a deer is three times less.

Another fact that distinguishes elk from its relative, deer, is its antlers. Elk also boasts longer legs, which deer do not have. The structure of animal horns is also different - the direction of growth and the shape of the branches. It can also be noted that a deer and its female can have antlers, but only males have antlers on elk.

Moose are not only excellent swimmers, but also divers - an elk can dive to a depth of about 5 meters for prey and hold its breath under water for half a minute.

This is a very large artiodactyl herbivore representative of the earth's fauna. The size of an elk at the withers can significantly exceed human height. The body length of adult individuals can be more than 3 m, and the average body weight is about half a ton.

These animals are usually called elk. They owe this nickname to a very colorful element of their appearance - luxurious giant horns, which in appearance resemble an ancient device for plowing - a plow.

True, only mature male moose can boast of such decoration. And females are smaller in size and naturally lack horns. This element of appearance, a kind of crown, is a spade-shaped bone formation with growths, the average weight of which is about 25 kg.

Every year with the onset of cold weather moose antlers disappear, they are simply dumped on them. But with the onset of spring, around May, a new “crown” grows on their head.

Moose are related to deer, but appearance They differ from them in many ways, lacking their characteristic grace. They are rather clumsy and have powerful shoulders and chests. The neck with a leathery soft outgrowth under the larynx and the body of the elk give the impression of being short in comparison with the general proportions of the body.

The humpbacked withers rise above them, followed by the large hooknosed head. The muzzle appears swollen towards the end, having a fleshy upper lip that hangs over the lower and upper lip. The legs of the animal are covered with short hairs, rather elongated, not thin, with long narrow hooves.

There is a tail up to 13 cm in size, it is short, but very noticeable. The color of the coarse hair on the body varies from almost white to brown-black; the legs of moose are usually whitish. In winter, the hair color becomes significantly lighter, which makes the moose more invisible against the backdrop of a snowy landscape. All of these features are clearly visible photo of a moose.

The vision of these animals cannot be called particularly acute, but their hearing and sense of smell are excellently developed. They run fast and swim well. These mammals have rightfully earned the title of the largest in the Northern Hemisphere.

About half of the members of the moose population are inhabitants of the expanses of Russia. Moose are also common in Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic states, Poland and Scandinavia, in some other European countries, as well as in Asia, for example, Mongolia and China. They are also found in North America, mainly in Canada and Alaska.

Kinds

Elk is the name of the genus representing the deer family. Not long ago it was believed that it consists of a single species of the same name. But significant difficulties arose with intraspecific taxonomy.

It turned out to be difficult to accurately determine and classify the number of species and subspecies. And on this matter, zoologists are divided in opinion. Modern genetics has helped provide answers to confusing questions. According to this source, the moose genus should be divided into not one, but two species.

Let's take a closer look at them.

1. Eastern Elk. This type is divided in turn into two subspecies: European and Caucasian. Their representatives are very tall animals, sometimes reaching a weight of up to 650 kg. The antlers of such moose are striking with a span of 135 centimeters or more.

Their hair is dark in color. Back marked black stripe. The end of the muzzle and the fur on the legs are somewhat lighter. The belly and back of the legs of these mammals, as well as their upper lip, are almost white.

2. Western elk. Sometimes this species is called American in another way, but it is also correct to call it East Siberian, because representatives of the elk kingdom of these two, at first glance, distant regions of the planet are genetically similar to each other.

This species is divided into Eastern Canadian and Ussuri subspecies. Such animals are slightly smaller in size than their previously described relatives. And the span of their horns is about a meter. True, there are exceptions, because in Canada and the Far East you can find very large specimens, weighing up to 700 kg.

The coloring of such moose is very diverse. Their neck and upper body are usually rusty-brown or grayish. The legs above, as well as the sides below, are most often black.

Lifestyle and habitat

The body of these creatures is not entirely proportional, and their overly elongated legs and strong torso hinder some movements. For example, to drink from a pond, elk Can't just tilt his head. He has to go deeper into the water, sometimes he kneels, while bending his forelimbs.

By the way, they, having pointed hooves, serve these animals as a good tool for self-defense. When skirmishing with enemies, bears or wolves, such creatures kick with their front legs, the impact of whose hooves can instantly break the enemy’s skull.

Elk – animal, whose coat in winter becomes not only lighter, but also thicker, reaching a length of about 10 cm. And on the neck and withers it grows even more impressive and twice as large in size.

The older the individual, the more impressive its horns. These decorations first appear on yearling moose. IN at a young age they are just small horns. A similar crown in older individuals consists of a flat, wide trunk called a spade. Processes are attached to this formation.

With age, the shovel becomes wider and stronger, and the size of the processes, of which there are usually eighteen, on the contrary, decreases. Therefore, by the shape of the horns it is possible to determine the age of the animal.

The shedding of old bone “crowns” occurs in November or December. During the cold season, they become unnecessary for moose, but only, being a heavy formation, hamper their movements, which makes life more difficult in winter. difficult times.

After all, horns are used by males not for protection at all, but to attract females and psychological impact on rivals, serving as a kind of indicator male power and dignity. Late autumn the number of sex hormones in the animal’s blood decreases, as a result, the cells at the base of the bone formations are destroyed, and the horns fall off. Such a loss does not cause pain or anxiety to the elk. Everything happens naturally.

Such beauties are inhabitants of forests, sometimes inhabit steppes and mountain ranges, and actively spread throughout forest steppe zone. They prefer wild areas with streams and rivers, and like to settle in swampy areas.

They do not have a particular love for moving, and therefore rarely move from place to place, except perhaps in search of food or in winter they try to choose less snowy areas. In the summer, when there is a lot of food, moose prefer to wander alone, but with the onset of cold weather, in order to survive, they unite in small groups and herds.

Moose hunting is not prohibited by law, but is possible only with certain restrictions. This activity is quite popular, especially spreading in recent decades. It must be said that it requires great skill, resourcefulness and patience, but despite the exciting, gambling nature, this is not a safe business at all.

Moose meat It has an unusual taste, moreover, unusual, but for many reasons, taking into account some indicators, this dish, which compares favorably with fatty lamb and pork, and is also well accepted by the body, is often recommended by doctors for use in many diseases. Many interesting delicacies are created from it, canned food and raw smoked sausages are made.

The moose themselves are distinguished by a rather peaceful and very flexible character. By the way, it is quite easy to tame such an animal. To do this, it is enough to feed a wild elk calf, and he immediately begins to feel an attachment to the person, which, if the acquaintance continues favorably, can remain for life.

Moose turn out to be very useful to people. They are actively used for work and transportation in sleighs and on horseback, and milk can be obtained from moose cows.

Nutrition

The diet of these creatures consists exclusively of plant foods, so their teeth are designed accordingly, more adapted to grinding rather than chewing food. Moose consume various grasses and shrubs as food. They love the leaves of trees, especially bird cherry, birch, and rowan.

TO this list Willow, maple, ash, and aspen should also be included. Moose are able to feed on mushrooms, lichens, mosses, semi-aquatic and marsh plants.

In the spring, with the appearance of greenery, real freedom begins for these mammals. During this period, they replenish the supply of vitamins lost during the winter. Moose happily eat fresh sedge and juicy sorrel.

And in the summer, these animals love to feast on various berries. To data favorable times per day, such representatives of the fauna are able to consume up to 35 kg of food. But in the fall they have no choice but to eat fallen leaves and pluck the bark of trees, and even closer to winter - to feed on pine needles and branches.

Reproduction and lifespan

In the third year of life, these representatives of the earth's fauna mature enough to participate in the reproduction of their own kind. This period itself for the described animal, otherwise called moose rut, usually occurs at the very beginning of autumn and lasts about two months.

However, in many ways exact dates its occurrence depends on climate and weather conditions terrain. A natural signal for the beginning of mating rituals is a significant reduction daylight hours. And about a week before this period, males feel significant anxiety. They groan, become more active and mobile, run out en masse into open areas where moose roar and rush about.

During such periods, these animals lose caution, becoming easy prey for enemies and cunning hunters, who usually intensify their activity during the rut, knowing about this feature of moose and using it with luck for themselves.

Purely physically, one elk is quite capable of impregnating several partners; this often happens on elk farms. But in the wild, as a rule, a male does not have more than one female. Next, the moose cow becomes pregnant, and somewhere towards the end of spring or in June, she usually gives birth to one calf.

Elk calves, with attractive light red fur, are born very viable. Literally almost immediately they get on their feet, and after only a couple of days they try to follow their own mother.

It is clear how these mammals feed their offspring. It should be noted that moose milk tastes almost like cow milk, but the composition is different and turns out to be fattier. It is not surprising that on this diet, moose calves grow quickly and increase their weight tenfold in six months.

Under favorable circumstances, the lifespan of an elk can be a quarter of a century. But many representatives of this kind of fauna die much earlier from diseases, accidents, and climatic vicissitudes. And most importantly, they become prey natural enemies and man. And the last of them is especially dangerous, insidious and cruel.

These animals are solitary animals; males most often live on their own, while females often live with elk calves. Sometimes males join females with cubs, forming small herds, but this happens rarely.

What do moose eat?

The elk eats vegetation as it is a herbivore. And because of the characteristics of the habitats, which are swampy areas, as well as thickets of willow trees along the banks of rivers and lakes, and in the forest-tundra - birch and aspen forests. The main type of food for moose is the tree and shrub vegetation growing in these places.

In summer- elk feeds mainly at night, eating: bushes, leaves, fresh shoots, tree bark, moss, lichens, mushrooms, plant fruits, berries - lingonberries, blueberries, raspberries, herbs - fireweed, sorrel. The elk also loves mushrooms - porcini mushrooms, moss mushrooms, boletus mushrooms.

In addition, moose eat plants growing near water bodies: marigolds, egg capsules, water lilies, and horsetails. Since in the summer food is more plentiful, moose try to eat to their advantage, eating up to 35 kilograms per day.

in winter- elk feed mainly during the daytime: they eat pine needles, tree branches, and gnaw on bark. In order to get enough food, the moose needs a lot of food, but in winter period there is little food, the animal has difficulty finding 12-15 kg.

In addition to vegetation, the elk needs salt, which it looks for in salt licks; moreover, in winter it has to lick salt from highways.
The elk is rightfully the adornment of our forests. This is a big, proud and beautiful animal! But these forest beauties is getting smaller and smaller.

Due to the thoughtless shooting, the animal was listed in the Red Book. But thanks to protection begun in 1920, the species was preserved and resettled in Western Europe. Currently, about 730 thousand individuals live in Russia, and in total there are about one and a half million on Earth.

Think about it people, it’s not easy for them to live in conditions wildlife. Stop the mad shooting.

Domain: Eukaryotes

Kingdom: Animals

Type: Chordata

Class: Mammals

Squad: Artiodactyls

Family: Reindeer

Genus: Moose (Alces Gray, 1821)

View: Elk

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.

Sometimes moose also called elk due to the shape of the horns, which resemble a plow.

What does a moose look like?

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. Moose antlers characteristic shape: the base of the horn (trunk) is short, from it the processes spread 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”.

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.

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 the elk to easily move in dense forests, along muddy river banks and deep snow.

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.

Types of moose

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 achievements genetics, a new classification has been defined, according to which the genus of elk (Latin Alces) includes 2 species: European elk and American elk. The number of subspecies is still undetermined and will likely change.

Species Alces Alces (Linnaeus, 1758) – European (eastern) elk
- Subspecies Alces Alces Alces (Linnaeus, 1758) – European moose
- Subspecies Alces Alces caucazicus (Vereshchagin, 1955) – Caucasian elk
Species 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 (lat. 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. Upper lip, belly and inner parts of 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, European part of Russia, in the Urals, in Western Siberia to the Yenisei and Altai.

American moose (lat. 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, in the Far East, in Northern Mongolia, in North America.

What do moose eat?

IN Moose diet includes herbaceous and tree-shrub vegetation, mosses, lichens, mushrooms and berries. Moose eat bark pine trees, willows, birches, aspens, love young raspberry branches. Depending on the time of year, the Elk’s lunch consists either preferably of leaves or aquatic plants: water lilies, horsetails, marigolds. Interestingly, a portion of Elk per day ranges from 10 to 35 kg of feed, and per year this figure reaches 7 tons.

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.

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.

Where does the moose live?

Elk lives almost throughout the entire forested area Northern Hemisphere, it can often be found in the taiga or steppe.

Concerning natural areas habitats, moose usually settle 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. The elk prefer forests with dense undergrowth and young growth, avoiding tall, monotonous forest areas.

Swampy areas are an important component of the life of Elks, since in the hot season the animals feed on aquatic vegetation and escape from overheating. These animals are found in Poland, the Baltic states, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Belarus, northern Ukraine, Scandinavia, the European part of Russia and the Siberian taiga. Russia is home to approximately half of the total animal population.

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, 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 the reverse order.

Currently, the number of Elk, like other ungulates, is declining due to the rise of poaching.

Why does a moose shed its antlers?

There is an opinion that antlers are needed to protect the elk in the forest from other animals, but this is not true. The main purpose of the horns is to attract a female during the mating season and protect her from other males. As the mating season passes, the horns become unnecessary. Shedding antlers for winter makes wintering much easier - it is easier for the animal to move around and find shelter.

Is moose dangerous for humans?

If you are in the forest see the moose- freeze and stand still until the animal leaves. During the rut, Elks can be quite aggressive, but they will not see a person even a short distance away, since they have poorly developed vision. In general, Elks rarely attack first; to do this, you need to provoke the animal or come too close to the place where the offspring are located. The Elk is dangerous for motorists, since a collision on the road with an animal of this size will cause great damage to both the car and the animal itself.

Reproduction

Single Elks They live separately in small groups of up to 4 individuals; females with Elk calves sometimes unite in small herds of up to 8 heads. Elks are monogamous by nature, unlike other relatives.

The elk rut takes place in early autumn and is accompanied by the loud, characteristic roar of the males. At this time, it is better not to go deep into the forest, as Moose can be aggressive and can attack a person.

There are also famous Elk fights, where rivals in the fight for the best female can not only be seriously injured, but even die. Pregnancy in the Moose lasts 225-240 days from April to June. Usually one calf is born, but older, experienced females can give birth to twins. The baby has a light red color and can get up a few minutes after birth, and after 3 days he can already move freely.

Maturity in Elks occurs at 2 years, and by 12 they are already aging, although in captivity with good care they live up to 20 years.

Enemies

Moose's first enemy, of course, is a man with a weapon.

Moose are hunted by wolves and bears ( Brown bear, grizzly). The prey is usually young, sick and old Elk. Wolves are practically harmless to healthy adults unless they attack in a large pack.

It is difficult for an elk to maintain a perimeter defense on open spaces. 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 this signature blow, Moose is capable of splitting the skull of a wolf and can easily defend himself against a bear. Therefore, predators avoid meeting Elk “face to face”.

Why does moose eat fly agarics?

In Russia and Scandinavia, attempts have been made to domesticate and use moose as a riding and dairy animal, but the difficulty of keeping them makes this economically impractical. There were 7 moose farms in the USSR, currently there are two – the moose farm of the Pechora-Ilychsky Nature Reserve in the village of Yaksha and the Sumarokovskaya moose farm in the Kostroma region. These experiments are reflected in the film by A. Zguridi “The Tale of forest giant" Both moose farms state. Tours are available at the farms.

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.

What is the difference between elk and deer?

Elk and deer are representatives of the same family, which have significant differences between 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.
Female moose, like female deer, do not have antlers. But among deer there is an exception: for example, females 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.

Moose is excellent swimmer and can hold its breath underwater for more than a minute.

Of the sense organs, the Moose has the best developed hearing and smell. Moose's eyesight is poor- motionless standing man he cannot see at a distance of a few tens of meters.

In a fight with predators, the Elk uses its strong front legs, so even bears sometimes prefer to avoid the Elk. These animals are excellent runners thanks to their strong and long legs, and can reach speeds of up to 56 km/h.

Moose milk, which they feed their offspring, contains 5 times more protein than cow's, and 3-4 times fatter. Currently, there are two moose farms operating in Russia, which produce milk used in medicinal purposes, as well as meat and leather.

Long-legged Elk calves at first cannot reach the grass and graze on their knees.

Picture of heavenly Elks or Deer were characteristic of many hunting peoples. Constellation Ursa Major in Russian tradition it was called Los. Among the peoples of the North there are widespread legends about the creation milky way when hunters were chasing Elk, and also about how Elk carried the sun into the heavenly taiga. Sometimes taiga hunters The sun was also figuratively represented in the form of a living creature - a giant Elk, running across the entire sky during the day and plunging into the endless underground sea by night.

Interesting information. did you know that...

There are known cases when moose during the rut attacked trains, the sound of which was mistaken for the roar of competitors.
An elk reaches speeds of up to 56 km/h while running. It is also a good swimmer and is able to stay underwater for about 1 minute.
In the territory former USSR Elks are kept as livestock in some places. Elks provide meat and milk to their owners and are used as draft animals.
Elk have very poor eyesight, but this is compensated by well-developed hearing and sense of smell.
Throughout its range, elk forms six to seven subspecies, of which four or five inhabit Eurasia and two inhabit North America.
In deep snow, the moose feels helpless. Hunters often use this.

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Elk is a cloven-hoofed mammal that lives in forest areas. The population of this species of deer numbers one and a half million individuals living throughout the entire forest zone of the Northern Hemisphere. In nature there are up to eight subspecies of this forest dweller. Elk is the largest species of all deer. And also one of the largest animals among the animals of its habitat. The average height at the withers of an adult male reaches two and a half meters, and the body length is up to three meters. The weight of an adult moose is from five hundred fifty to six hundred kilograms. This forest giant consumes about eight tons of food annually. Where does elk get so much food, and what does it eat, especially in harsh winter conditions?

Forest is the natural habitat of moose

Moose are found in the tundra, where they feed on mosses and lichens, even in winter, extracting them from under the snow. In the steppe zone, moose are also not uncommon - their diet is based on grass and shrubs.

But moose are most adapted to living in the forest. For them, this is their natural and most comfortable habitat. The elk is an unpretentious animal when it comes to food - it literally feeds on pasture and eats everything the forest gives it. Everything is eaten - grass, leaves, bark, moss, pine needles. The elk like branches and shoots of willow, aspen, rowan, birch and fir. A feature of the elk’s body is the constant need for branches and shoots of young trees; this is the “menu” in summer period occupies more than 50% in the diet of these animals.

Another feature of these herbivores is their love for aquatic vegetation. Moose like to settle near bodies of water - quiet rivers, forest lakes and swamps. Algae and coastal vegetation are one of their favorite delicacies. When diving after them, an elk can hold its breath for up to two minutes, and it is an excellent swimmer.

Moose are also partial to mushrooms. They prefer moss mushrooms, boletus mushrooms and white ones. It's interesting what moose remember mushroom places and make them their constant pasture. The share of mushrooms in the diet of eagles especially increases in the fall, when foliage and grass wither and lose their nutritional value, and mushrooms, on the contrary, are abundant. And further interesting fact– moose are not affected by mushroom toxins, so they happily eat fly agarics!

The source of vitamins for moose are berries. Raspberries, lingonberries, cranberries, blueberries and blackberries - everything goes into food.

Salt

Salt for moose is a source useful substances and is needed in sufficient quantities in their diet. If it is not enough, the animal weakens and begins to get sick. Therefore, moose can often be found on salt marshes, where they lick the ground, thus saturating the body with salt. Knowing this feature of elk, foresters in nature reserves and hunting grounds set up feeders for them, sawn with salt.

Features of the diet of moose in winter

With little snow and mild winters, moose lead sedentary image life. If the snow cover does not exceed half a meter, then they are quite capable of getting food from under it. If the winter is heavy with snow, then moose are able to migrate over considerable distances in search of food. But in any case, the basis of winter
The diet of these animals forms a branch “menu”. The share of bush branches and shoots of young trees in moose food in winter increases to 85%.

They look for food in open forests, along the banks of rivers and lakes (here they happily eat willow branches). But when cold weather sets in, when the air temperature drops below 20 °C, moose seek refuge in dense forests, preferring coniferous thickets. There is no cold piercing wind, and the food is also fine - although they do not have their favorite branches of willow and rowan, moose consume pine needles, branches of fir, spruce or juniper as their replacement.

If in winter the food supply becomes really bad, then the moose, gathering in a herd, make quite long journeys. Every day the herd is able to walk ten to fifteen kilometers. Having come to a convenient and food-rich pasture, moose can stay on it for several days until it is depleted. Such pasture can be a birch or aspen grove, thickets of willow or mountain ash, or, in particularly cold winters, coniferous forests. The moose leave the parking area in an organized manner and move on in search of food.

Spring

Moose also prefer to migrate in the spring. This time they are returning to the place of their permanent summer pastures. Their favorite spring delicacy is young pine needles, birch and alder catkins, and fresh willow shoots. Young grass is also included in the mandatory spring diet of moose. Moose also happily eat flowers - snowdrops, lilies of the valley, and buttercups.

Elk are constantly on the move - moving from one pasture to another. Due to his large height, he is easily able to reach branches and young growth of trees and shrubs. Big sizes This animal is forced to move all the time in search of food - in the summer, the most favorable period, an adult moose consumes more than thirty kilograms of food. To satisfy such needs, the elk all the time slowly moves from tree to tree, from grove to grove, a lonely forest giant who knows no rest.