Moose (Elk)

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

They are the largest members of the deer family with males weighing up to 600 kg and standing over 2 m at the shoulder. Males develop broad, shovel-shaped antlers, which they shed each winter and regrow in spring. They can measure up to 2 m wide from tip to tip. The head is huge and long, with a square upper lip that hangs over the lower one. Fur colour is dark brown, fading to light brown on the long legs.

Did you know?
that in ancient times it was thought that the moose has no joints in the hind leg? Hence, it never lies down, but has to recline against a tree while sleeping.

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	ARTIODACTYLA
Suborder	RUMINANTIA
Family	CERVIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Alces alces
Name (English)	Moose (Elk)
Name (French)	Élan
Name (German)	Elch
Name (Spanish)	Alce
Local names	Czech: Los Estonian: Põder Finish: Hirvi Lithuanian: Briedis Norwegian: Elg Swedish: Älg
CITES Status	Not listed
CMS Status	Not listed

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Wikipedia

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Northern Asia, Europe and North America
Habitat	Variously dense mixed forest and open forest-tundra, mostly around lakes, bogs and streams.
Wild population	Widely distributed and abundant in most of its range, reaching 0.5 million individuals in Europe and 1.5 million in Scandinavia (IUCN Red List 2011)
Zoo population	139 reported to ISIS (2007)

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

Hard antlers should be removed before transport under proper restraint and, where required, sedation. No deer with antlers in velvet at a stage of growth which could be damaged easily should be transported where there is a risk of injury.

For air transport, Container Note 73 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations, should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Daniel Meyer

Why do zoos keep this animal

The moose is not an endangered species but zoos keep it for its educational interest, to show an element of the native fauna in North America in Europe, because it is the largest deer species, and because of its many anatomical features diverging from other deer species.

How this animal should be kept

Enclosure, fencing and physical requirements
Hard soil or roads, granite or gravel is not a suitable ground material for captive moose. The ground in natural habitats is soft and often swampy, and wild moose wear the lateral and cranial walls of the hooves through abrations by twigs and obstacles when moving. So humus rich soil found in a forested floor or even a lawn, is a better ground material. Icy surfaces should be salted away as moose, even animals in good condition, may slip and get splayed legs. This has shown to be a problem in Scandinavian zoos during winters with melted snow frozen to ice.

Moose usually only walk around in smaller enclosures (min 3 000 m² required in Sweden), but may trot in larger exhibits, especially between different feeding places (as for example in a 3,5 ha enclosure). Calves and yearlings play and excercise a lot, especially from July till September. Wild adult moose may jump over 220 cm fences, but handraised animals usually don’t jump. A pool or dam is often used, especially in hot summer days, and should be provided.

Natural bushy shelters will be used by cows with newborn calves in the wild. Calves, born in zoos on rainy, windy and cold days in May, may due to lack of shelter, suffer from hypothermia. In zoos adult moose usually don’t use rain, wind or sun shelters.