Facts About Moose for Kids
Hey! Are you a person unknown to moose? If your answer is YES, then this article is for you! We will discuss everything about moose in the given below interesting facts. Moose pertains to the family of deer and is considered to be among the hugest members of their family.
Their horns provide them safety in addition to a unique and beautiful look. We are sure that you will learn many unknown facts about moose in our blog piece. Being the largest deers, they can swim seamlessly and effortlessly in the cold water lakes.
15 Facts About Moose
#1 Moose Rarely Use Antlers In Self-Defense
Bull moose like the male deer use their horns, also known as paddles, for local fighting and love. A moose will fight back with its pierced sharp hooves and terrible kicking force. Suppose if it gets attacked by a group of wolves or another predator like a bear, a wolf, or a human, then most likely, the opponent itself will be killed by the moose’s hoofs and power.
#2 Moose Are Big
The moose is the biggest member of the deer species, weighing up to 1,200 pounds and measuring 5 to 6.5 feet in length from feet to shoulders. This size and height make them the biggest deer family member.
#3 They Are Swimmers From Their Birth
They are born to swim and remain excellent swimmers as adults. A fully developed moose can swim at a speed of around 6 miles per hour for up to two hours. So, you might wonder how a moose can float. But yes, it is true.
This allows them to maintain a low body temperature during the hot days in summer. Because moose have a hard time grazing in the winter, it’s not uncommon for them to lose up to 30% of their body weight. Every year, males spend the same amount of energy developing their horns as pregnant women.
#4 Their Antlers Are Used For Fighting
The antlers, or paddles, don’t play as big a role in fending off predators as most researchers expect. A moose’s first line of defense is undoubtedly its sharp hooves that help kill a wolf and bear. However, paddles are only seen on men moose, and they are mostly utilized for battle and showcase.
Bull moose cover most of the acreage they seek to mate with female moose during the fall mating season. They create breeding grounds by battling with other male moose in the vicinity. Battles aren’t necessarily death scenes, and if the challenger has a more effective rack of horns, a competing moose will typically flee from a fight.
#5 Moose Are Found In The Water To Increase Their Lifetime
Moose lives longer because it spends so much time in the water. Standing in water the whole day lessens some of the stress on their bones and joints and also helps in lowering their risk of osteoporosis and arthritis.
Furthermore, being just two feet above the water deters predators such as wolves and mountain lions from approaching them, as hiding in anything surrounded by water is quite difficult.
#6 Moose Face Threats From The Snails
Snails are considered to be harmful to moose. This is because certain snails contain a parasite called brain worms, and while hunting in warm, shallow water, these huge animals usually eat those snails. Brain worms cause neurological harm to the moose, which can be deadly.
However, all other members of the deer family frequently have brain worms but are unaffected by them. The front teeth of a moose are generally missing. This allows them to graze underwater while sucking tiny seaweed into their jaws.
#7 Moose Eat More Food Than A Black Bear
Although moose are herbivores, they consume a large amount of food every day. In the summer season, moose can eat up to 73 pounds of food, and in the winter season, they can eat up to 34 pounds.
Moose are “browsers” or animals that largely consume leaves, tender shoots, and fruits of tall woody plants, according to ecologists. They also enjoy eating aquatic vegetation found in wetlands. Moose who strut into town have been known to eat entire apple trees and garden plants in one afternoon.
Let’s compare a moose’s diet to a black bear, another classic Alaskan animal. In Alaska, male black bears can weigh up to 350 pounds and devour 18 pounds of food every day.
#8 The Babies Need Help From Their Moms
In May, female moose, often known as cows, usually have one to two calves. The calves are born weighing approximately 30 pounds on average and develop swiftly.
Even though newborn moose cannot flee or defend themselves, the mother stays with her children for a year and a half, fending off wolves and bears who try to prey on the young calves.
#9 Moose Can Live Up To 20 Years
The average age of the moose is around 20 years, but all of them cannot reach up to this age as they are the food of wolves or bears.
However, if they live on land, saving themselves from hunters and predators, they can enjoy their life up to 20 years. Therefore, there are rare chances of moose living up to 20 years
#10 Calves Can Grow Quickly And Swiftly
A young moose (known as a calf) develops at an astonishing rate during its first year of life. They grow so quickly when they are born that their weight increases up to 5 pounds every day. We hope it was unknown to you.
#11 Word “Moose” Means Eater Of Twigs In The Algonquin Language
Moose are herbivores, to be sure. However, to stay satiated, they must eat continuously throughout the day. The word “moose” is taken from the Algonquin word “Moz or mons,” meaning twig eater in the Algonquin language. They eat any type of plant and require nearly 10,000 calories per day. Moose, like cows, have a four-chambered stomach.
#12 Cold Weather Animal
Moose are the animals of cold weather. To move and run in the snow, they have big-sized hooves that work like snowshoes that help them to walk over snow. When the snow starts melting, the moose spends most of its time swimming in the lakes, frozen in the winter season.
Moose can swim up to 10km without any stop. However, they have a great deal of power to run on the ground during the races. As for short distances, moose can run at 35 miles per hour, and if moose have to travel a long distance, they can attain speed up to 20 miles per hour for 1 hour.
#13 They’re Surprisingly Athletic
Even though moose have enormous horns with a big size, they can effortlessly live both on land and underwater. Moose can swim around 5-7 miles within just one hour. The adult moose can sprint at a speed of roughly 35 miles per hour on land (56 kilometers per hour).
They can trot at a speed of up to 20 miles per hour and cover huge distances even when not racing. Moose are active all day, although their speed is highest in the morning and evening.
#14 Bull Moose Grow A New Rack Every Year
Moose shed their antlers every winter and develop a new set in the spring. Every year, a new set of antlers emerges that is generally more magnificent than the previous one: antler nubs become spikes, and spikes become the sarcastic paddles that have made moose famous.
#15 They Can Close Their Nostrils
They can seal their noses, allowing them to graze underwater. When they are in the water, their respiration rate slows down, allowing them to breathe calmly. In addition, their nostrils tend to close, allowing them to hold breath for 30 seconds underwater.
Conclusion
After finishing the facts about the moose, we hope you have learned many new and unknown facts which are truly interesting. Moose are big animals who love to eat and swim. They’re incredibly important to the environment, and we must cherish them by safeguarding their habitat. These facts make them more special and unique, from their living style to their lifespan. We hope the above article brought many amazing facts unknown to the people.