Moose
Hunter Black
Moose
Moose are the biggest of their kind. Boy moose are instantly known by their really big antlers, which can spread 72 In. (6 foot) from end to end. Moose have long faces and muzzles that hang over their chins. A flap of skin known as a bell swings under each moose's esophagus .
Moose are tall , so they like to go in higher grasses and bushes because putting their heads to the ground can be hard . In winter they feast bushes and pinecones, but they also remove snow with their hooves to clear areas for searching for mosses and lichens. Hooves also are like snowshoes to help the heavy animals in soft snow and in muddy or marshy areas.
In summer, food is more needed in the northern regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. When the ice melts, moose are seen in lakes, rivers, or wetlands, eating aquatic plants both at and under the surface. Moose are at home in the water and, besides their staggering bulk , they are good swimmers. They have been seen paddling a lot miles at a time, and will even come back completely, staying under for 30 seconds or more.
Moose are similarly nimble on land. They can run up to 35 miles an hour over short distances, and trot firmly at 20 miles an hour.
Males, called bulls, bellow loudly to get mates they get mates each September and October. The usually solitary bulls may come together at this time to battle with their antlers for producing young supremacy. After mating, the two sexes go their separate ways until the following year. Though they may sometimes eat in the same grounds, they tend to ignore each other.
Girl moose give birth to one or two calves in the spring—each weighing some 30 pounds (14 kilograms). These calves grow fast and can outrun a person by the time they are just five days old. Young moose stay with their mothers until the next mating season.