moose
(Alces americanus)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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| NatureServe | N5 - Secure SNR - Unranked |
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| Minnesota | Special Concern The recent collapse of the northwest Minnesota population, and dramatic decline in the northeastern Minnesota population of moose, prompted the Minnesota DNR to designate moose as a species of special concern in 2013. Species in Greatest Conservation Need |
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Description |
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Size |
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Total length: 94″ to 110″ Tail: 3″ to 4⅜″ Male: 992 to 1,102 lb Female: 750 to 926 lb |
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Similar Species |
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Habitat |
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Second-growth, mixed forest with bodies of water; forest openings; lakes; swamps and other wetlands; burned over or cut areas with successional growth. Boggy, low areas in northwestern Minnesota. Hilly, forested areas in northeastern Minnesota. |
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Ecology |
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Behavior |
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Lifespan |
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Mostly 8 to 12 years, but up to 22 years |
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Life Cycle |
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Food |
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In the summer, new growth leaves, twigs, and bark of trees and shrubs; and aquatic plants, especially those high in sodium. In the winter, twigs of trees and shrubs. |
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Distribution |
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Sources Moose occasionally stray south out of their usual range but do not set up resident populations there. Hazard15 shows town records in Polk, Beltrami, Hubbard, Pine, Hennepin, Dakota, and Le Sueur Counties. Those records are not included in the map at left. Most moose in Minnesota are in the northeastern counties. There are far fewer moose in the northwest. An areal survey of moose is conducted each year in northeastern Minnesota by the Minnesota DNR. Based on the 2016 survey, there are an estimated 4,020 moose in the state. That is a decline of almost 55% in ten years. |
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| 3/9/2021 | ||||
Occurrence |
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Locally common |
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Taxonomy |
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| Class | Mammalia (mammals) | ||
| Subclass | Theria | ||
| Infraclass | Eutheria (placental mammals) | ||
| Magnorder | Boreoeutheria | ||
| Superorder | Laurasiatheria (ungulates, carnivorans, and allies) | ||
| Order | Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates and cetaceans) | ||
| Suborder | Ruminantia (ruminants) | ||
| Infraorder | Pecora | ||
Family |
Cervidae (deer) | ||
Subfamily |
Capreolinae (New World deer) | ||
| Tribe | Alceini (mooses) | ||
Genus |
Alces (moose, Old World elk) | ||
There is some disagreement about the taxonomic classification of North American moose. Until recently, only one species, Alces alces, was recognized. Studies in 1998 and 1999 separated two species, Eurasian elk (Alces alces) and moose (Alces americanus), based on chromosomal differences (karyotype) and morphology. Older print sources and many online sources continue to recognize just one species, Alces alces. In either classification, there are four subspecies in North America and one in Minnesota. |
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Subordinate Taxa |
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Alaska moose (Alces americanus gigas) eastern moose (Alces americanus americanus) northwestern moose (Alces americanus andersoni) Shiras moose (Alces americanus shirasi) |
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Synonyms |
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Alces alces Cervus americanus |
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Common Names |
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eastern moose moose Siberian elk |
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Visitor Photos |
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Share your photo of this mammal. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption. |
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Bobbi Johnson |
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A moose and her calf... she was crossing the road when we were coming back from Virginia, MN. |
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Ramona Abrego |
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Cow and calf feeding at Poplar Lake on the Gunflint Trail |
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Christa Rittberg |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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| Moose Andree Reno Sanborn |
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About
Alces alces |
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| Alces alces (Moose) Allen Chartier |
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| Moose Dave |
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| Alces americana Leon Kay |
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Visitor Videos |
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Share your video of this mammal. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link. |
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Other Videos |
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| Moose (Cervidae: Alces americanus) Antlered Male Carl Barrentine |
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About
Uploaded on Oct 9, 2010 Photographed at the Glacial Ridge NWR, Minnesota (09 October 2010). Go here to learn more about moose in Minnesota: http://www.nrri.umn.edu/moose/ |
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| October Minnesota Moose - 2015 ThomasJSpence images |
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About
Published on Oct 25, 2015 October moose in Superior National Forest, NE Minnesota. |
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| Moose Mortality Study 2014 - Michelle Carstensen Minnesota DNR |
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About
Published on Feb 20, 2014 Minnesota DNR Wildlife Health Program Supervisor Michelle Carstensen talks about the 2014 Moose Mortality Project. |
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| Minnesota DNR Moose Research Project - 2013 Minnesota DNR |
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About
Published on Jan 29, 2013 A study to determine why Minnesota's moose population is in decline, has started. See video from the field as the first moose are captured. For more information on Minnesota's moose, go to http://www.mndnr.gov/moose. |
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| Shooting with Sparky—Moose Calling Successful! Minnesota Sparky Stensaas |
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About
Published on Aug 24, 2013 September 26, 2012 See what happens when I imitated the call of a cow Moose! Superior National Forest Contact Sparky: Sparky's websites: Galleries at www.SparkyPhotos.com
His non-profit organization: |
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Visitor Sightings |
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Report a sighting of this mammal. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location. |
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| Bobbi Johnson 7/10/2021 |
Location: St. Louis County, MN A moose and her calf... she was crossing the road when we were coming back from Virginia, MN. |
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| Ramona Abrego 9/30/2010 |
Location: Gunflint Trail |
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| Ramona Abrego | Location: Gunflint Trail |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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