Moose
Alces alces

Large, long-legged and lumpy, moose wander woods and waterways gobbling grasses and other plants to nourish their big bodies.

Where They Live: 
Forests, swamps, bogs, and other wetlands in northern regions of Asia, Europe, and North America.

What They Eat:
Moose prefer new shoots and leaves of shrubs and trees as well as water plants.  They will eat bark and twigs when other food is scarce.

Test Your Knowledge! (answers below)

  1. How much can a large set of moose antlers weigh?
    a. 85 pounds b. 15 pounds  c. 120 pounds    d. 40 pounds
  2. How fast can a charging moose run?
    a. 10 miles per hour b. 20 miles per hour   c. 35 miles per hour

Answer each of the following questions with True or False:

  1. Moose are very quiet and rarely make any sounds.
  2. A moose can store up to 100 pounds of food in its stomach.
  3. Moose are strong swimmers and are born knowing how to swim.

Fun Fact!
Moose often give birth to twins, as long as the female is healthy and well fed.

Moose have enormous antlers.  A bull moose expends about as much energy growing antlers every year as a female expends during pregnancy.  Click on the link to download an activity sheet about horns and antlers.

Answers