Moose description. Moose life. Protection of animals in their natural habitat
This powerful beautiful animal is admirable with all its appearance. In ancient times, people worshiped him. His image can be seen on the sarcophagi of ancient tombs and the walls of caves of primitive people. As a heraldic symbol, this animal has always denoted strength and endurance. Among the people, he was nicknamed respectfully - "moose" - by the similarity of the shape of the horns with the agricultural tool plow.
The official name is “moose”, from the Old Slavonic “ols”, given to the animal by the red color of the coat of its cubs. In the old days, the peoples of Siberia called the elk simply - "the beast." The North American Apache Indians have a legend about the insidious moose, and the Canadian Indians have a noble one. In Vyborg, a monument to an elk is erected, which, at the cost of his life, saved lost hunters from a pack of wolves.
Moose Description
Elk is an animal mammal, belongs to the order of artiodactyls, the suborder of ruminants, the deer family and the elk genus. The exact number of elk 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 subspecies, 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 much larger than females.
In addition to size, a number of other factors distinguish an elk from other representatives of the deer family:
- physique: the torso is shorter, and the legs are longer;
- the 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 the male elk there is a soft leathery outgrowth, up to 40 cm long, called the "earring".
Because of the long legs, the moose has to either go deep into the water or kneel to get drunk. The elk's coat is hard to the touch, but has a soft thick undercoat that warms the animal in cold weather. By winter, the wool grows 10 cm in length. The longest coat of the elk is on the withers and neck, which outwardly makes it look like a mane and creates a feeling of the presence of a hump on the body of the animal. Coat color - with a transition from black (in the upper part of the body) to brown (in the lower part) and whitish - to the legs. Moose are darker in summer than in winter.
Elk - the owner of the largest horns 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. Moose females are always hornless.
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 moose, the more powerful its horns, the wider their "shovel" and the shorter the processes.
It is interesting! Horns fall off due to a decrease in the amount of sex hormones in the blood of an elk after the end of the mating season. Hormonal changes lead to a softening of the bone substance at the point of attachment of the horns to the skull. The discarded antlers contain a lot of protein and are food for rodents and birds.
Moose calves acquire small horns by the year. Initially, they are soft, covered with thin skin and velvety fur, which makes them vulnerable to injuries and insect bites, causing significant discomfort to the animal. Such torment lasts for two months, after which the calf's horns become hard, and the blood supply to them stops.
The process of shedding the horns does not cause pain to the animal, but rather a relief. In winter, at the end of the mating season, the moose do not need them, they only complicate movement in the snow with extra weight on their heads.
Lifestyle
Moose lead a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, preferring to stay in one place if the conditions are comfortable and there is enough food. Winter with a thick layer of snow and lack of food make them set off.
Moose do not like deep snow, they are looking for wintering places where the snow cover does not exceed half a meter. First, females with moose calves go on the road, 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 up to 55 km per hour.
Moose are not herd animals. They live separately, one by one or 3-4 individuals. They gather in small groups only for the winter quarters and, with the onset of spring, disperse again in different directions. Moose gathering places for the winter quarters are called “camps” in Russia, and “yards” in Canada. Sometimes up to 100 moose gather in one camp.
Moose activity depends on the time of year, more specifically, temperature. environment. In the summer heat, moose are inactive during the day, hiding from the heat and midges in the water, in ventilated forest glades, in the shade of dense thickets. They come 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, plunging into it almost completely. Only ears and withers stick out. If the body temperature of an elk drops to 30 degrees, the animal will die from hypothermia.
Only during the rutting season, moose are active, regardless of the time of day and temperature.
It is interesting! An elk's body temperature from running fast in the heat can rise to 40 degrees and lead to heatstroke. The reason for this is a special natural repellent that is produced by a moose instead of ordinary sweat - the so-called "fat".
It protects the animal from the bites of blood-sucking insects, saves in the cold, but also plays a cruel joke when it is very hot. Zhiropot, clogging the pores of the skin, preventing the body from cooling quickly.
Moose have excellent hearing and poor vision.. How well developed the moose's hearing and sense of smell are, so weak is their vision. An elk is not able to distinguish a motionless figure of a person from a distance of 20 meters
Moose are excellent swimmers. These animals love water. They need it both as a rescue from midges and as a source of food. An elk is able to swim up to 20 km and can stay under water for more than a minute.
Moose are non-conflict animals. The level of their aggression rises only during the rut. Only then does the moose use its horns for its intended purpose, fighting with a rival for a female. In other cases, when attacked by a wolf or a bear, the elk defends itself with its front legs. The first moose does not attack and, if there is an opportunity to escape, runs away.
Lifespan
Nature has prepared a solid life span for the elk - 25 years. But under natural conditions, this peaceful giant rarely lives up to 12 years. This is due to predators - wolves and bears, diseases and a person who uses an elk for his fishing purposes. Elk hunting is allowed from October to January.
Range, habitats
The total number of elk 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.
It is interesting! Europe exterminated its moose in the 18th and 19th centuries. It caught on only in the last century, starting to carry out active protective measures for the surviving single specimens, exterminating wolves, rejuvenating forest plantations. The moose population has been restored.
There are moose in the north of Mongolia, northeast China, the USA, Alaska and Canada. For habitats, the elk chooses birch and pine forests, willow and aspen forests along the banks of rivers and lakes, although it can live both in the tundra and in the steppe. But, nevertheless, preference is given to mixed forests with dense undergrowth.
Moose diet
Moose menu is seasonal. In summer, these are the leaves of shrubs and trees, aquatic plants and grasses. Preference is given to mountain ash, aspen, maple, birch, willow, bird cherry, water capsules, water lilies, horsetail, sedge, willow-herb, sorrel, tall umbrella grasses. Moose cannot nibble on small grass. Do not allow a short neck and long legs. By the end of summer, mushrooms, blueberry and lingonberry bushes, along with berries, enter the diet of the elk. In autumn it comes down to bark, moss, lichens and leaf litter. By winter, the elk moves to branches and shoots - wild raspberries, mountain ash, fir, pine, willow.
It is interesting! summer daily ration elk is 30 kg of plant food, winter - 15 kg. In winter, moose drink little and do not eat snow, keeping their body heat.
Deer of large sizes - the largest of all modern species families. In general appearance, the elk is a very powerful and strong, somewhat heavy, but slender animal. Its constitution is peculiar and very different from that of other deer, primarily by its high legs, powerful and massive development of the chest and shoulders, and a large heavy head. The animal usually holds its neck and head low, more or less horizontally.
Since the legs of the elk are very high, the torso, which is generally of normal length, looks relatively short, the withers are high and, together with the elongated hair covering it, forms a kind of hump. The back is straight, the sacrum is somewhat lower than the withers, the croup is relatively weak, sloping, the tail is very short, much less than half the length of the ear and is invisible in a living animal. The neck is relatively short, thick and powerful. The head is relatively very large, elongated (approximately equal in length to the neck) and narrow, hook-nosed. The upper lip is very large and massive, as if swollen, when viewed from above, it is quadrangular in shape and strongly hangs over the lower one. The nostrils are large and directed downward. The ears are very large and wide, oval in general shape, but pointed at the ends, very mobile. The eyes are relatively small. There are small preorbital glands. Under the throat, both sexes have a more or less long soft skin outgrowth (“earring”) hanging down. The earring in profile looks like a triangle, sometimes sausage-shaped. It reaches its largest size in animals at the age of 3-4 years, later it becomes shorter and wider. The length of the earring is up to 35-40 cm, usually 20-25.
The hooves are large, long and narrow, strongly pointed in front. In the female, they are somewhat narrower and sharper than in the male. The lateral hooves (panolegs) are relatively large, set low and, when walking on soft ground, rest on the ground and take on part of the load.
In general appearance, a cow does not differ from a bull, but her physique is somewhat lighter, her chest and scapular regions and withers are less powerfully developed. Animals in the first months of their lives are distinguished by a particularly pronounced disproportion of the trunk and limbs - with a weak trunk, the legs are especially long. In addition, they have a relatively smaller head and upper lip swollen very little, almost normal. In its first winter, the young elk is still very different in proportion from the old ones and acquires a more or less typical appearance of an adult animal not earlier than two years of age.
The antlers of the elk are very variable in size and structure, larger than those of our other deer, except, perhaps, the northern one. Changes, except those associated with age, are partly geographical in nature, part of the horn varies greatly individually. In the type of elk horn, it consists of a short trunk extending from the skull horizontally and perpendicular to the sagittal plane of the body, and a wide flattened, more or less curved shovel, the plane of which is directed in a smaller part forward, more to the sides, mainly back. With a horizontal position of the head, the plane of the shovel is located almost horizontally, only slightly rising backwards. From the shovel forward, outward and backward, but not inward (not to the neck), processes extend. They are also directed slightly upward, continuing the concave figure that the shovel itself forms. All of them are more or less the same and evenly frame the periphery of the shovel, but more often the processes directed forward are larger than the others and, as it were, separated from the shovel. Often there is a more significant independence of individual processes on other parts of the shovel, apparently, more often in the posterior or posterolateral, and a certain kind of dissection of the shovel itself.
Horn of this type can reach very large sizes. However, in most cases, the flat part of the shovel itself is small, and the processes are long. As a rule, the larger the flat part of the shovel, the shorter the processes and vice versa. Maximal antlers have a very large, long and wide (up to 60 cm or more) shovel with short processes, often with a pronounced forward-directed lobe-process, bearing two or three processes at the end.
The second type of horn is the same type of “shovel”, however, a powerful separate process separates forward from it, usually bifurcated at the end, representing, as it were, two front processes with the front part of the shovel. Between this type and the "typical" horns there are various intermediate forms. Both these types are very similar, and the differences between them are more quantitative. The essential features of the next - the third type of horn.
The third type of horn is the horn of the "deer" type, does not have a shovel at all and is a rather thick short trunk, branching symmetrically in a more or less horizontal plane. The processes are directed forward, sideways and backwards and are bent upwards.
Between these types of horns, especially the first two, there are various transitions; moreover, each of them is subject to great variations. The most common in our elks is a horn with a small spade and long processes, usually with a prominent front forked massive process. The number of processes on especially large horns reaches 36 (on both horns), and maybe a little more. There is a known geographical localization of these types, especially the "deer" antler.
Age-related changes in the horn are as follows. In the second year, the goby carries a small, unbranched "knitting needle", in the third year it usually develops two ends (a fork). In the future, the horn changes without any strict regularity, except for the most general one - the older the animal, the larger and more massive its horns, the larger the spade and the shorter the processes on it. In extreme old age, degradation and secondary simplification of the horn is observed, which, apparently, can go very far.
The hairline of the elk is the same as that of the rest of the deer - it is coarse, slightly wavy, thick hair with air cavities (especially in winter fur), brittle. On the body, the hairs of winter fur are about 10 cm long or slightly longer, along the ridge they are slightly longer. The hairs are especially long at the withers (up to 16-20 cm) and along the top of the neck, where they form a kind of mane. Long hair at the withers, to a large extent, they create that “hump”, which is so characteristic of the general appearance of the figure of an elk. On the sides of the neck, the hairs are not so long and only slightly longer than those covering the sides of the body.
The head is dressed with short and somewhat softer hair. They are especially short, but more elastic on the entire front of the muzzle, which is completely covered. Only in the middle of the upper lip there is a very small bare space of oval, pear-shaped or triangular shape. It is so small that it does not reach the nostrils far. Sometimes, along with this bare area, on the sides of it, closer to the nostrils, there is one small one. The lips of the elk are covered with hair up to the very border of the oral fissure.
On the legs, especially in their lower half, the hair is short, without wavy bends, slightly arched, resilient and very strong, especially on the front of the legs. This is an adaptation of the animal, which must move through deep snow for most of the year.
The color of the body, upper part of the legs, neck and most of the head of an adult animal is uniform, saturated, brownish-black or almost black. The end of the muzzle is light grey, even whitish. The color of most of the limbs, approximately from the middle of the lower leg and forearm, is light gray, sometimes almost white with a silvery tint, in sharp contrast with the general color of the body. There is no mirror.
There are no significant differences in the coloration of animals in summer and winter fur. There is only one molt in a year - spring; it, however, drags on for most of the summer. Beginning in April, the molt proceeds most intensively in May and June, with the remnants of worn winter fur remaining in July. Full short summer fur (August) darkest, almost black, and shiny. Later, due to the growth of hair towards winter, the color gradually brightens somewhat and becomes more brownish and dull. Wearing out of the dark end parts of the hair in winter also leads to the development of brownish tones. There are no gender differences in coloration.
The coloration of newborns and in the first months of life (before the first winter coat) is even, dark brown or reddish-brown all over the body. The front of the muzzle and legs are painted in the same color. Sometimes a dark stripe is marked along the top of the neck and in the region of the shoulder blades along the ridge. Spotted coloration in young never happens.
Adult bulls have a body length of up to 300 cm, a height at the withers of up to 225-235 cm, an ear length of about 26 cm, a tail of 12-13 cm. Weight up to 570 kg. The span of the horns is up to 150 cm, their weight is up to 20 kg, but sometimes more.
The total length of the skull is up to 620 mm, the zygomatic width is up to 240 mm. Cows are always somewhat smaller and lighter.
A newborn calf has a body length of about 90 cm and a shoulder height of 70-90 cm. Its weight is 13-16 pounds. In the first autumn of his life, the young reaches a weight of about 100 kg, and by the end of the first year about 200.
In many cultures of the world, both modern and ancient, the attitude towards this animal is special, respectful. In Russia, the elk was called the master of the forests, the ancient Scandinavians respected this beast for its nobility and intelligence, and some Indian tribes worshiped the elk as a patron and giver of blessings. There is a belief among the peoples of the Russian north that the Milky Way is a ski track of a heavenly hunter who is stalking 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 habitats in connection with their lifestyle, habits and diet. And therefore, anyone who wants to know where moose live should familiarize themselves with others. interesting facts about these animals.
Description of the species
Moose are the largest members of the deer family. Scientists have not exactly decided on the number of subspecies of moose, so sources give different data: from four to eight. It is known that the Alaskan elk is the largest today, and the Ussuri elk is the smallest.
The main distinguishing feature of the animal are the horns. In shape, they resemble a plow, which is why the elk is often called elk. But, frankly, you can recognize an elk not only by its horns. He has a peculiar appearance, expressive and memorable.
The places where moose live can be called impassable, therefore, in the process of evolution, the animal acquired strong long legs with massive hooves. The elk has a large hook-nosed head with intelligent eyes and large fleshy lips. Sexual dimorphism is well expressed, the female is easily distinguished from the male by its smaller size and lack of horns.
Lifestyle: what determines the habitat
Let's look at where the elk lives and what this animal eats in its natural environment.
Moose are herbivores, but with an average body weight of six hundred kilograms of food, they need a lot. They feed on shrubs and leaves, lichens and mosses. An important part of the diet is mushrooms, among which there are even fly agarics. Moose also love berries, and they usually eat them along with shoots. They love cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, mountain ash. In the cold and hungry season, moose gnaw bark with pleasure. It is easy to guess where the elk lives, since he prefers such food. Of course, in the forest!
But the most obvious answer is not always the only one. Moose also settle in swamps, in the steppe and forest-steppe.
Habitat
The map clearly shows where moose live (highlighted in red).
Moose live in wild nature, national parks and 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 (in the north of Mongolia and China). A small population lives in New Zealand.
Active hunting for the mighty owner of the forests led to the fact that in Europe the elk was almost completely exterminated. Populations have been rebuilt from scratch.
The owner of Russian forests
When answering the question of where moose live in Russia, many, in addition to the tundra and taiga, also name the Arctic zone. This erroneous opinion arose, probably due to the fact that a close relative of the elk, the reindeer, is common in the Far North.
In fact, the moose does not like too harsh winters. He confidently overcomes swampy areas, but it is hard for him to wander through the snow for a long time 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.
elk emigrant
And how could an elk end up on the other side of the earth? This species was brought to New Zealand by Europeans in the 19th century, along with other animals of hunting interest.
Currently, the New Zealand population is small. Some researchers, relying on the lack of photographs taken by camera traps over the past half century, are trying to prove that there are no moose left in the island state at all. But many hunters claim that they periodically see elk, and some of the discarded horns, places of lairs and paths trodden by powerful hooves were even photographed.
Where does the moose winter?
Old hunters know how to determine by the behavior of moose what the coming winter will be like. If the females with cubs, and after a while the males are removed from their homes and roam south, then there will be a lot of snow, and the thermometer will significantly creep down. Migrations begin in November, when winter has not yet gained full strength, and moose calves born at the beginning of summer have grown sufficiently and become stronger.
Where does the moose live in winter? Approximately in the same conditions as in the rest of the year. 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.
Migration is not an obligatory habit of the elk. Populations living in regions with a temperate climate, where no more than half a meter of snow falls in winter, 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 moisture reserves, saving heat.
Moose natural enemies
In the same place where moose live, other animals live in the forests. Of course, not every predator will dare to attack a large animal that can fight back. Yes, and the elk run very well. But moose can be hunted by wolves, especially during the hungry winter.
True, when answering a question about the main enemy of an elk, animal rights activists, unfortunately, first of all call a man with a gun. Moose hunting has more than once put these animals on the brink of extinction, because of the amusements of man, huge herds died. Today hunting is controlled.
How to behave where the moose lives
Of course, looking at a massive body on high legs and a broad-sided head 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 are advised to simply freeze for a while when they see this animal. Moose do not see very well, so soon the elk will simply pass by. It is unlikely that you will have to wait long; these animals spend the lion's share of their time in search of food.
Drivers should be especially careful. Moose are not too shy, so when they see a moving vehicle, they may not step aside. A direct collision with an obstacle weighing 600 kilograms can throw even a minibus or jeep into a ditch. Some accidents that occurred due to the exit of moose onto the roadway end in the death of both people and animals.
Protection of animals in their natural habitat
Today, many forestry enterprises are taking a number of measures to maintain the number and growth of the populations of these animals. In those forests where moose live, in winter, feeders with hay and vegetables are equipped for them, salt licks are laid out (moose are very fond of licking salt stones). Hunting is strictly controlled, and poaching is punished to the fullest extent of the law.
Elk, or elk (lat. Alces alces) is an artiodactyl mammal, the largest species of the deer family.
Description
The elk is one of the largest species of modern deer. The body of an adult male can reach up to 3 meters in length with a height at the withers of up to 240 cm and a weight of up to 600 kg. In its appearance, the elk differs markedly from the closest relatives of deer. This animal has very long legs, a powerful wide chest and a massive hook-nosed head. The swollen upper lip noticeably hangs over the lower lip. Elk ears are large and mobile. Under the throat of the animal hangs a leathery outgrowth up to 40 cm, which is called the "earring". Moose antlers have a short trunk and a wide, slightly concave spade. The shovel, in turn, is surrounded by processes, which can be up to 18. However, the antlers of an elk have a variable design and may not even have a shovel at all, like an ordinary deer. The color of the body of moose is black-brown, and the legs are from light gray to almost white. The color of the moose performs a protective function and matches the color of the bark of the trees of the surrounding forest. Therefore, the shades of color of animals depend on the habitat. The winter color of moose is noticeably lighter than the summer color.
Moose males differ from females in their mighty horns. In young moose, antlers (knitting needles) appear only one and a half years after birth. In the third year of life, they begin to branch, and only after that does the characteristic moose shovel begin to appear. The final shape of the horns of the animal is acquired only in the fifth year of life. Different subspecies of moose have antlers of different sizes and weights. At the same time, even individuals of the same subspecies can have horns of different designs and sizes. Their span reaches 180 cm, weight - 20-30 kg. An elk sheds its antlers annually in November - December and walks without them until April - May. The females are hornless.
Elk is often called elk because of the horns, which resemble a plow in their shape.
The East Siberian elk, unlike the European one, has an elongated head and a narrow hook-nosed muzzle. The large upper lip strongly hangs over the lower one. The wool of the East Siberian elk is colored black-brown at the end of the muzzle, the sides are colored in a darker color, which captures the ventral part of the body. Groin area lighter. In males, a brown stripe extends along the spine. The legs on the inside are colored grayish-yellow, and on the outside the coat is dark brown. The outgrowth, or the so-called "earring", which is located under the throat, reaches a length of about 40 centimeters. Western moose have a shorter "earring".
Spreading
The habitat of moose is very extensive. These animals are very common in the northern forests of Europe, Asia, and North America. In certain periods of past years, the number of moose for various reasons was significantly reduced, however, through the efforts of zoologists and some states, their numbers were restored and increased. Today, moose live in European countries: Russia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Finland. In Asia, moose are common in China and Mongolia. On the North American continent, elk lives in Canada.
The East Siberian elk is distributed in Siberia, east of the Yenisei River and in the Far East, with the exception of the Amur and Ussuri regions. The wool of moose before the onset of winter is painted in red-gray shades.
Lifestyle
Elk is a sedentary animal. Moose rise from the bed only for feeding, and after that they lay down again until the next meal. active image they lead their lives only during the rut, when males show aggression and are dangerous even for humans. With the end of the mating season, the animals again become calm to the point of phlegm. Despite the apparent monotony, the life of moose has its own characteristics. AT different time years, for example, these forest giants behave differently. Moose can create temporary herds, roam from place to place, change the composition of the food supply and ways of obtaining food. Winter in the life of moose is divided into two periods: little snow and much snow.
Moose inhabit various forests, thickets of willows along the banks of steppe rivers and lakes, in the forest-tundra they keep along birch and aspen forests. In the steppe and tundra in the summer they are also found far from the forest, sometimes for hundreds of kilometers. Great importance for moose, there are swamps, quiet rivers and lakes, where in summer they feed on aquatic vegetation and escape from the heat. In winter, moose require mixed and coniferous forests with dense undergrowth. In that part of the range where the height of the snow cover is not more than 30-50 cm, moose live sedentary; where it reaches 70 cm, they make transitions to less snowy areas for the winter. The transition to wintering places is gradual and lasts from October to December-January. The first to go are females with calves, the last are adult males and females without calves. Moose walk 10-15 km a day. Reverse, spring migrations occur during the melting of snow and in the reverse order: adult males go first, females with calves last.
It is most convenient to start describing the sequence of seasons in the life of elk in autumn, when young of the year become independent, and adult individuals put on fat in anticipation of winter. The autumn transition period lasts about a month and represents the transition from summer to winter food. Features and timing of this transitional period are determined by climatic conditions in a given area of animal habitat.
In winter, moose prefer coniferous and mixed forests. Moose lead a settled way of life with a snow cover height of 30 to 50 cm. If the snow is deep - 70 or more centimeters, moose migrate to less snowy areas. December-January is the time when moose leave for their wintering grounds. Females with young are the first to leave for the winter, followed by childless females and males. At the same time, within one day, moose travel 10-15 kilometers. When the snow begins to melt, the animals leave their wintering grounds. In this case, the males are the first to go on the road, and the females with offspring follow him.
In summer, due to the heat and blood-sucking insects, moose lead an active life at night, and during the day they lie down on wind-blown glades and swamps. In winter, on the contrary, during the day the animals feed, and spend the night in a bed. With the onset of severe frosts, moose can burrow into the snow so that only the head remains outside. In central Russia, moose prefer to winter in the thickets of young pine forests, and in Siberia these animals winter in willow or young birch groves located near rivers.
Moose run fast, up to 56 km/h; swim well. Looking for aquatic plants, they can keep their heads under water for more than a minute. They defend themselves from predators with blows from their front legs. Of the sense organs, the elk has the best developed hearing and sense of smell; vision is weak - he does not see a motionless person at a distance of a few tens of meters.
reproduction
Males and single females live alone or in small groups of 3-4 animals. In summer and winter, adult females walk with calves, forming groups of 3-4 animals, sometimes males and single females join them, forming a herd of 5-8 animals. In the spring, these herds break up.
Moose rut occurs in the same season as deer, in September-October, and is accompanied by a characteristic deaf roar of males (“groan”). During the rut, males and females are excited and aggressive, they can even attack a person. Males arrange fights, sometimes to the death. Unlike most deer, the elk is a conditional monogamous, rarely mating with more than one female.
During the mating season, male elk do not form harems like other types of deer. During the rut, the males are very excited, break branches with their horns, dig holes with their hooves, look for females and follow them, driving away competitors and sometimes getting into a fight with them. At this time, moose, mostly males, lose their inherent caution, and cease to be afraid of people, which creates the feeling that there are noticeably more moose in the forest in autumn. The mating season lasts about two months and ends in October or November. Females reach sexual maturity by the second or third autumn, and males a year later.
Pregnancy of females lasts about 230 days, after which the moose cow brings one or two cubs. This happens in April or May. It should be noted that in paired litters one of their calves often dies. Moose calves are born solid light red and remain in their birthplace for about a week, and then begin to walk with their mother. At the same time, they are already beginning to feed on the leaves of aspens and birches. But they are not yet able to get grass during this period because of their long legs. Only at the age of one month do calves learn to kneel and eat grass when feeding. The female feeds calves with milk until about 4 months of age. Moose milk is 3-4 times fatter than cow's milk, and its protein content is 5 times higher. During the day, the calf consumes 1 - 2 liters of milk. The young growth grows rapidly and by the first autumn the calves reach a weight of about 130 kg, and sometimes up to 200 kg.
Moose become sexually mature at 2 years old. After 12 years, the elk begins to age; in nature, moose older than 10 years are no more than 3%. In captivity, they live up to 20-22 years.
Nutrition
Moose feed on trees, shrubs and herbaceous vegetation, as well as mosses, lichens and fungi. In summer, they eat leaves, taking them out due to their growth from a considerable height; they feed on aquatic and near-water plants (watch, marigold, egg capsules, water lilies, horsetails), as well as tall grasses on burned areas and cutting areas - fireweed, sorrel. At the end of summer they look for cap mushrooms, blueberry twigs and lingonberries with berries. From September, they begin to bite the shoots and branches of trees and shrubs, and by November they almost completely switch to branch food. The main winter food items for moose are willow, pine (in North America- fir), aspen, mountain ash, birch, raspberry; in the thaw they gnaw at the bark. During the day, an adult elk eats: in summer about 35 kg of feed, and in winter - 12-15 kg; per year - about 7 tons. With a large number of moose damage forest nurseries and plantings. Almost everywhere moose visit salt licks; in winter, salt is licked even from highways.
Economic importance
Elk is a hunting animal (meat and skin).
In Russia and Scandinavia, attempts were made to domesticate and use moose as a riding and dairy animal, but the complexity of keeping makes this economically impractical. There were 7 moose farms in the USSR, at present there are two - the moose farm of the Pechoro-Ilychsky reserve in the village of Yaksha and the Sumarokovskaya elk farm in the Kostroma region. These experiments are reflected in the film by A. Zguridi "The Tale of the Forest Giant". Both moose farms are state-owned. There are tours on the farms.
Moose, with a large number in this area, destroy a lot of forest undergrowth and harm forest plantations. Moreover, forests various types, moose cause damage of various nature and magnitude. However, people often exaggerate the damage these animals cause to forests. Specially conducted studies eloquently show that the damage caused by moose does not significantly affect the life of forests. This, of course, applies to those cases when the number of moose in a given area does not exceed certain allowable values. If the number of moose becomes too high, then it becomes necessary to regulate it.
Elk is also often called elk, as its huge luxurious antlers are shaped like a plow. This artiodactyl mammal is the largest species in the deer family. An adult male moose is really impressive with its size and scope of horns, therefore it is not surprising that there are always many people who want to admire this handsome forest moose on moose farms in Russia.
Moose males are about 3 m long, their height reaches 2.3 m, the tail is 12-13 cm long, and their weight is from 360 to 600 kg. The females are slightly smaller. Appearance elk is very characteristic and differs markedly from its deer relatives. The body and neck of the elk are short, the withers look like a hump, high. The limbs are elongated, for this reason, at a watering place, the animal goes deep into the water or kneels. The head is large, hook-nosed, the upper lip is fleshy, overhanging. Under the throat is a soft outgrowth of the skin, the so-called "earring", 25-40 cm in length. The fur is coarse, brownish-black, the limbs are light gray, almost white, in color. The hooves are pointed, used by the elk as a weapon in battles with predators, wolves and bears: one blow is enough to break through the skull or open the stomach of the attacker.
Males are distinguished by large shovel-shaped horns, they are up to 180 cm in span, the weight of the horns is 20-30 kg. Horns are shed every year in November-December, in April-May they grow again. The females have no horns.
The diet of moose includes trees, shrubs and herbaceous vegetation, as well as moss, lichens and mushrooms. AT summer period- this is foliage that the animal is able to get from a great height, aquatic and near-water plants (watch, marigold, egg capsule, water lily, horsetail), tall grasses such as fireweed and sorrel. At the end of summer, moose eat mushrooms, branches of blueberries and lingonberries, and berries. With the beginning of autumn, they bite the shoots and branches of trees and shrubs, and by the end of autumn they switch to food from the branches. Winter food for moose is willows, pines, firs, aspens, mountain ash, birches, the bark of which they gnaw. On the day of an adult, it is required: summer time up to 35 kg of food, in winter from 12 to 15 kg, per year the figure reaches 7 tons. For this reason, large populations of elk damage forests and plantings. Moose also actively visit salt licks.
The habitat of the moose includes the forest zone of the Northern Hemisphere, as well as the forest-tundra, forest-steppe and the outskirts of the steppe zones. In Europe, the species is distributed in countries such as Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Belarus, Ukraine, Scandinavia, the European part of Russia, and the Baltic countries. In Asia, elk is found from the north of Mongolia to the northeast of China and the north of the taiga. It is also found in North America (Alaska, Canada, USA). Lives in Russia up to Rostov region and coast Pacific Ocean. It is here that about half of the entire animal population lives. In total, there are now up to one and a half million moose on the planet.
Several subspecies are known for moose, ranging in number from 4 to 8. The largest moose with large antlers is the Alaskan subspecies A. a. gigas and East Siberian A. a. Pfizenmayeri. The smallest moose with deer-like antlers is the Ussuri subspecies of A. a. cameloides. Sometimes the Eurasian and American subspecies Alces alces and Alces americanus are also distinguished.
A striking manifestation of sexual dimorphism in moose is that females do not have the huge chic horns of males. In addition, females are inferior to their partners in size.
Moose live in various forests, thickets of willows on the banks of steppe rivers and lakes, in birch and aspen forests of the forest tundra. In the summer, they can leave the forests for considerable distances. It is important for an animal to have a swamp, a quiet river or lake in its habitat in order to escape the heat and eat aquatic vegetation. In winter, elk prefers mixed and coniferous forests with dense undergrowth. If the snow falls no more than 30-50 cm, then the elk lives settled in such places, with a snow level above 70 cm, it roams to less snowy places. It gradually moves to wintering places from October to December-January. First, females with cubs leave, then adult males. Every day they are able to walk 10-15 km. In the spring, with the melting of snow, the reverse migration takes place.
Moose lifestyle depends on the time of year. In summer, these are nocturnal animals that often hide in the water or in dense forests during the day. In winter, on the contrary, grazing occurs during the day, and at night, moose are on haulouts. In severe frost, they lie down in the snow, leaving only the head outside. In winter, moose trample snow in areas called camps, they are used by several individuals for feeding.
The elk is able to run fast, reaching speeds up to 56 km / h, swims well. It can submerge under water for about a minute. It defends itself from predators with the help of blows of the front legs. The animal has a well-developed hearing and sense of smell, but the eyesight is poor.
Moose of both sexes usually live alone or in small groups of 3-4 individuals. In summer and winter, adult females with calves, as well as males, gather in herds of up to 8 individuals. In the spring, such groups break up.
The mating season for moose is September-October. Males at this time begin to roar dully, as if to moan, they are excited and aggressive, often attacking people. Between themselves, males arrange fights, often even with fatal outcomes. Elk is considered conditionally monogamous animal, usually mating with only one female.
The duration of pregnancy is 225-240 days, childbirth occurs from April to June. One cub is born, occasionally twins. The newborn is painted in a light red color, there are no white spots. Moose calves stand on their feet already a few minutes after birth, at the age of 3 days they move freely. Females feed them with milk for the first 3.5-4 months of life.
Puberty in young animals occurs at the age of 2 years. In nature, moose live 10-12 years, in captivity their life expectancy increases to 20-22 years.
The natural enemies of moose are the wolf and the bear (brown bears, grizzlies), which usually attack young, sick and old animals. For healthy adult moose, these predators are not dangerous. Moose are affected by nematodes and ticks. They are also quite often hit by cars on forest roads. The decline in the moose population around the world is mainly due to active poaching.
- Elk is a valuable commercial animal, its meat and skin are used. In Russia and Scandinavia, they tried to domesticate the animal and use it as a riding and dairy species, but it turned out to be difficult to keep, and therefore this idea was abandoned. In Russia, there are special elk farms where they conduct excursions for everyone who wants to see this forest giant.
- Moose milk tastes like cow's milk, but it's fatter and not as sweet. It is used in medical nutrition.
- Moose meat is tough and not as fatty as most of its relatives. It is used in the production of canned food and raw smoked sausage.
- There are sculptural monuments to the moose in Vyborg, Moscow and Monchegorsk.
