An elk is a mammal belonging to the artiodactyl order and the ruminant suborder. The name of this animal comes from the Old Slavonic ols, indicating the reddish tint of wool in newborn elk calves. Also, this animal is called elk. He received such a name because his horns are plow, which is used in the cultivation of the earth.

Summer

In summer, the diet of animals consists of the following components:

1. Leaves of trees and shrubs: aspen, ash, mountain ash, maple, bird cherry.
2. Umbrella tall grass growing on burned areas and clearings: fireweed, willow-herb, meadowsweet, nettle.
3. Plants growing near water or swamps: three-leaf watch, water lilies, horsetails, sedge (in spring and early summer).
4. Mushrooms.
5. Branches and berries of cranberries, blueberries.

In summer there is a great abundance of food, but this is not enough for the proper functioning of the animal's body. Branches remain the basis of nutrition, without which the digestion process is disturbed in animals. Due to the lack of branches in the zoo, herbivorous moose died, although they had other foods in abundance - hay, concentrates.

in winter

The first half of winter, animals eat hardwoods trees and shrubs: raspberry, willow, pine, mountain ash. Linden and alder are useful to them. In the second half of winter, they feed coniferous trees. The transition to such feeds is not due to the lack of suitable species nutrition, but the needs of the body. Forced winter feeds include birch shoots, which contain low-nutrient substances.

To overwinter without harm to health, animals eat hay. They consume up to 1 kg of hay per day. Studying the food that the elk chooses in winter, the scientists came to the conclusion that hay is not a forced food. Elk prefer hay, even with an abundance of deciduous and coniferous food.

In the southern regions, animals feed on tree bark and lichens. In the north, the bark freezes, and the elk cannot eat it, and the lichen is hidden under the snow. Under the snow there are other foods: sedge and berry bushes. To avoid heat loss, they drink little water and do not eat snow.

habitation

Moose are found in the Northern Hemisphere. Distributed in Russia (from Kola Peninsula to the steppes in the south), in Europe (Finland, Norway, in the northern part of Ukraine, Hungary, Poland, in the Baltic countries). Also, they live in Asian countries: the Far East, Northern Mongolia and northeast China. The animal is found in the taiga part of Siberia, up to the forest-tundra. They live in the USA: in the northeast side, in Alaska and in Canada.

Now, the moose population is not threatened with extinction, but in the 19th century, the animals that inhabited Europe were completely exterminated. Since 1920, active measures began to protect the elk and restore their population in European countries.

area

In Russia, the area where the elk lives covers almost all forest zones and forest tundra. In winter, the animals live in small island forests of spruce-deciduous trees, choosing valleys protected by mountains. The coverage of the habitat of these animals is very wide:

• in summer they can be seen in the open tundra several hundred kilometers from the forest zone;
• sometimes, animals reach the shores of the northern seas;
• in winter they migrate to the south, to the forest-tundra.

Contrary to popular belief, the elk is not a taiga animal. This idea was formed at a time when these animals were almost completely exterminated in the central part of Europe.

The following habitats can be distinguished:

1. Forest-steppe - coniferous or mixed forests, in which there are swamps, small rivers, streams. In the forest, moose prefer to settle where young shoots and fireweed grow densely - the favorite food of moose. These animals do not live in forests without growth, with tall trees. Moose prefer to live along the banks of lakes and rivers, in willow thickets and in sedge marshes.
2. Forest-tundra. Moose choose birch and aspen forests for life.
3. Shores of steppe rivers and lakes. They look for banks overgrown with shrubs and small trees. Often, moose choose a wetland overgrown with shrub birches, pines, and willows. Animals eat aquatic vegetation.
4. Mountain taiga. Elk are found in areas with a gentle relief - wide valleys, swampy or saturated with water sources. Moose are found at altitudes up to 1800-2000 m above sea level, and in Altai in char and wetlands - up to 2200-2400 m.

Choosing suitable conditions for life, the elk is looking for a good shelter from the midges. This factor has great importance in the life of an animal. In places where they can be found by people and other enemies, animals hide during the day in dense swampy thickets of alder or coniferous growth. It's hard to see moose there.

Moose live in one area for a long period. This is due to the sedentary lifestyle of the animal and the fact that they can travel short distances in search of food. In summer, the travel distance of elk is greater than in winter. In the cold season, they migrate to less snowy regions from areas where the thickness of the snow cover reaches 70 cm. This situation is observed in Siberia, the Urals and the Far East. In the spring, the animals return to their habitable habitats. In winter, moose live on shady slopes, since the snow is looser in the shade.

reproduction

By the third year of life, moose begin to breed. Mating begins in August-September, and continues until November. The typical behavior of the male is to choose only one female for the duration of the rut. At this time, males can be aggressive, lose their caution. They fight with other males, break tree branches with their horns, take to the roads, and may attack people. The beginning of the rut can be recognized by the dull lowing roar that males emit in the morning and evening.

Moose mate several times a day. Pregnancy lasts 225-250 days. Moose calves are born from April to July. The female brings 1 calf, weighing 6-16 kg. He is able to stand on his own, a few minutes after birth. After a few days, the cub can follow the moose cow. At this time, the color of the calf is monophonic, light red.

Elk mother feeds a cub up to 4 months. Milk is similar to cow's milk, but has a higher fat content and higher protein content. For six months, the weight of a calf increases 10 times. The weight of an adult elk reaches 360-650 kg.

Enemies

In wildlife, the elk has little natural enemies. Its size and strength deter small predators. Only bears (grizzlies or brown) and wolves can attack them.

Bears prefer to hunt in northern regions where there is a lot of snow. They come out of the dens and guard the elk, or try to drive the victim into dense thickets, which prevent the elk from fighting back with their hooves. Bears hunt stubbornly, sometimes they chase elk over snowy crust for many kilometers. More often, the bear attacks the pregnant moose or young moose. Females protecting cubs behave violently. An elk, fighting off a bear, can injure or kill him with blows of hooves.

Wolves prefer different hunting tactics. They choose areas where there is little snow, because in deep snow they cannot even catch up with young elk calves. It is difficult for a wolf to attack an adult, since it can easily deal with it with its hooves. Alone, the wolf rarely attacks. On elk, wolves attack in a pack, coming from behind.

More small predators, attack wounded and emaciated animals or young moose calves. The moose's main enemy is man. Since ancient times, people have hunted moose for meat and skins.

Moose hunting during the rutting season is otherwise known as waba hunting. She became quite popular for recent decades and has become widespread. From a hunter, great patience, resourcefulness and skill are required to hunt a racing elk. This hunt is incredibly exciting, reckless, but also quite dangerous. In terms of sensations, hunting for a waba is comparable only to hunting, for example, on a capercaillie current.

What is moose racing?

About a week before the start of the rut, the bulls begin to moan, call the cow. They often go to open areas- river banks, outskirts of raised bogs. By the beginning of the rut, moose already have fully formed horns, and the anterior eye processes (these are “tusks”) also appear. Males become more mobile and active. By the time the first estrus in females begins, the bulls are already completely cleaning their horns from the velvety skin that covers them. The male follows the cow by sound, by “snoring” or snorting, and also by footsteps.

During the rut, the bulls become simply insane: they break trees, uproot bushes and arrange rather fierce fights with other males. The winner, as a rule, stays with the female, while the weaker ones follow the pair nearby. The victorious bull from time to time drives away the outcast males that come close enough. The male follows the female, periodically making moans. One male can cover up to four cows during the rut, however, moose are usually more prone to monogamy.

Moose mating times

As a rule, the timing of the start of the rut depends on the climate. In the European part of Russia, in its middle zone, in Siberia, as well as in the south, the peak of the rut occurs in mid-September, and in the northern latitudes, a more intense rut is observed from the end of September to the end of October.

Usually, the rut begins with the first frost or when there is a significant difference between nighttime and daytime temperatures.

Signs of the beginning of the rut

Signs of the beginning of the rut may be the following circumstances.

• Traces of bulls on the roads, as well as clearings are much more common.
• The appearance of "kopanok" or "ureters" - chasing pits that bulls create by digging in those places where the female left a "mark" from the urine. Usually the location of these pits does not change from year to year.
• The appearance of "cuts" and creases on the trees - animals scratch their horns about them, tearing off their antlers. Bulls grind and comb the bark of trees often around the entire circumference and at a height of up to 1-1.5 meters.

How to choose the object of hunting?

It is extremely important in the hunting economy to maintain the correct age composition of the moose population. Old males scare off bulls from cows, thereby preventing normal reproduction. These males on the hunt should be shot first of all, while a mature sire with good and beautiful horns better to leave.

Old bulls differ from young ones in that they have gigantic growth, as well as ugly or degrading horns with fewer processes; their moan is lower and coarser.

The best time to hunt elk for waba is a relatively short period of time (about 10 days) before the start of the rut, as well as its beginning. During this period, old moose are the first to respond: their rut begins earlier, and they are more courageous and aggressive. An experienced hunter always chooses first
object, luring different bulls for 5-7 days. And only after that, having chosen the most suitable specimen for culling, you can start hunting.

How to choose a place?

Most best places for such hunting, these are places where there are driving pits. Moose always keep close to these pits. Broken branches, bent trees, trampled earth, uprooted bushes, etc. are also considered signs of a place where moose are concentrated. A place with a convenient view should be chosen, but one in which the shooter would be covered and nothing would interfere with shooting. Most often, hunters mark several promising places, and in the event that an animal does not respond to a waba in any area, then they change their location. Most the best option, when two hunters take part in such a hunt - one wagner and the other shooter.

When and how to beat?

The best time for the hunter to come to the first place: in the evening, about an hour before sunset; in the morning, 30 minutes before dawn.

This hunt can be productive only with sufficient lighting, and with the onset of darkness, the beckoning is already stopped. And if at dawn the elk, suitable for shooting, answered the wabu still dark, then it is worth leaving this area and trying your luck in another area. If the hunt did not bring results on the new site of the waba, then you should return to the original place. It is worth noting that the presence optical sight prolongs the time suitable for a good hunt.

To lure moose, various devices are used, as well as electronic decoys; many hunters quite skillfully imitate the elk with their voice.

To lure animals, hunters use the following sounds. This is the voice of a bull, which is similar to the grunting "woo"; the sound of the protest of a young or middle-aged female; the voice of a bull, which is similar to the croaking of "u-o" or "o-o"; the crackle and crunch of breaking branches.

Between the signals during the waba, some pauses should be maintained. First you need to make one sound, then wait about 5 minutes and beat at intervals of about a minute a few more times, increasing the volume and also changing direction. And if the moose does not answer, then you can try to beckon with another sound.

If the elk answered from afar, then you need to continue the waba until the wabber determines that the bull is approaching and heading towards him, and only then can the shooter be set. If the moose is close, then you need to immediately set the shooter at a distance of about 100 meters from the wader and then continue to lure rarely and quietly. It is necessary to make beckoning sounds less often than the bull does, and when the male comes close enough, synchronously with him.

It must be remembered that during the hunting period for wabu, the hunter must always be ready. The racing elk is aggressive, he can leave at any moment. Also, the hunter should always have a gun at hand. And if the moose does not come out, you can try to take it from the approach. However, it is worth approaching only from the leeward side, and it is worth moving under the “song”. You need to aim at the head or in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe shoulder blades; a wounded elk can only be approached from the side.

You should never shoot at the noise and rustle, only at a distinct visible target. There are cases when another hunter went out to the voice of a wabber and fell under a shot. On such a hunt, it is very important to be disciplined, accurate and have great endurance.

Elk- a noble and powerful owner of our forests, to argue with which even the Bear does not always dare.

What is the moose called

Sometimes elk also called elk because of the shape of the horns, which resemble a plow.

What does an elk look like

Elk It is not for nothing that it is considered one of the largest animals, since males often reach sizes of about 3 meters in length and 2.5 meters in height, and weigh up to 600 kg. Distinctive feature Elk are its beautiful sweeping horns, which have an average of 18 processes.

Researchers have about 7 subspecies of the Elk, which differ in size and structure of the horns.

What do moose eat

AT Moose diet includes herbaceous and tree-shrub vegetation, mosses, lichens, mushrooms and berries. Moose eat the bark pines, willows, birches, aspens, love young raspberry branches. Depending on the time of year, Elk's lunch is either preferably leaves, or aquatic plants: water lilies, horsetail, marigold. It is interesting that a portion of Elk per day is from 10 to 35 kg of feed, and this figure reaches 7 tons per year.

Where does the elk live

Elk dwells almost throughout the forested zone of the Northern Hemisphere, it can often be found in the taiga or the steppe part.

Wetlands are an important part of Moose life, because in the hot season, animals feed on aquatic vegetation and escape from overheating. These animals are found in Poland, the Baltic States, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Belarus, in the north of Ukraine, Scandinavia, the European part of Russia and in Siberian taiga. About half live in Russia general population animals.

Currently, the number of Elk, like other ungulates, is declining due to the flourishing of poaching.

Are moose dangerous to humans?

If you are in the forest see Moose- Freeze and stand still until the animal leaves. During the rut, Moose can be quite aggressive, but they will not see a person even a short distance, because they have poorly developed vision. In general, Moose rarely attack first, for this you need to provoke an animal or get too close to the place where the offspring are located. The Elk is dangerous for motorists, since in a collision with an animal of this size on the road, great damage will be done to both the car and the animal itself.

Moose breeding

Single Moose live separately in small groups of up to 4 individuals, females with Elks sometimes unite in small herds of up to 8 animals. Moose are inherently monogamous, unlike other relatives.

Moose rut takes place at the beginning of autumn and is accompanied by a loud characteristic roar of males. At this time, it is better not to go deep into the forest, as Moose are aggressive and can attack a person.

There are also well-known Moose fights where rivals in the fight for the best female can not only be seriously injured, but even die. Moose's pregnancy lasts 225-240 days from April to June. Usually one calf is born, but old experienced females can give birth to twins. The baby has a light red color and can get up a few minutes after birth, and after 3 days it is already moving freely.

Elk maturity occurs at 2 years old, and by 12 they are already getting old, although in captivity with good care live up to 20 years.

Moose Enemies

The first Elk's enemy Of course, a man with a gun.

Moose are hunted wolves and bears ( Brown bear, grizzly). Prey is usually young, sick and old Moose. Wolves are practically harmless to healthy adults, unless they attack in a large pack.

Elk hard to keep all-round defense on open spaces. The picture looks completely different when the Elk is in the thicket. Here he often takes a deaf defense: having covered the rear with some tree or thickets of bushes, the Elk defends itself from the attackers with blows from the front legs. These Elk's signature kick is capable of crush the wolf's skull and can easily defend itself from a bear. Therefore, predators avoid meeting the Elk “face to face”.

Moose are excellent swimmers and can hold their breath underwater for more than a minute.

Of the sense organs, the Moose has the best developed hearing and sense of smell. Elk's eyesight is poor- motionless standing man he does not see at a distance of a few tens of meters.

In a fight with predators, the Elk uses strong front legs, so that even bears sometimes prefer to bypass the Elk. These animals run well thanks to strong and long legs, and can reach speeds of up to 56 km / h.

Moose milk, with which they feed their offspring, contains 5 times more proteins than cow's, and 3-4 times more fat. Now in Russia there are two moose farms that are engaged in the production of milk used in medicinal purposes as well as meat and skin.

Long-legged Moose at first cannot reach the grass and graze on their knees.

Picture of heavenly moose or Deer were characteristic of many hunting peoples. The constellation Ursa Major in Russian tradition was called Elk. Among the peoples of the North, there are legends about the creation of the Milky Way when hunters were chasing the Elk, as well as about how the Elk carried the sun into the heavenly taiga. Sometimes the taiga hunters figuratively imagined the sun as a living creature - a giant Elk, running through the entire sky during the day and plunging into the endless underground sea by night.

In many cultures of the world, both modern and ancient, the attitude towards this animal is special, respectful. In Russia, the elk was called the master of the forests, the ancient Scandinavians respected this beast for its nobility and intelligence, and some Indian tribes worshiped the elk as a patron and giver of blessings. The peoples of the Russian north have a belief that Milky Way- this is the ski track of a heavenly hunter who tracks down an elk. And the elk itself, according to Evenki mythology, is the constellation Ursa Major.

Of course, moose do not live in the night sky, but in the northern part of our planet. These large animals choose habitats in connection with their lifestyle, habits and diet. And therefore, anyone who wants to know where moose live should familiarize themselves with others. interesting facts about these animals.

Description of the species

Moose are major representatives deer families. Scientists have not exactly decided on the number of subspecies of moose, so sources give different data: from four to eight. It is known that the Alaskan elk is the largest today, and the Ussuri elk is the smallest.

chief hallmark animal are horns. In shape, they resemble a plow, which is why the elk is often called elk. But, frankly, you can recognize an elk not only by its horns. He has a peculiar appearance, expressive and memorable.

The places where moose live can be called impassable, therefore, in the process of evolution, the animal acquired strong long legs with massive hooves. The elk has a large hook-nosed head with intelligent eyes and large fleshy lips. Sexual dimorphism is well expressed, the female is easily distinguished from the male by its smaller size and lack of horns.

Lifestyle: what determines the habitat

Let's look at where the elk lives and what this animal eats in natural environment.

Moose are herbivores, but with an average body weight of six hundred kilograms of food, they need a lot. They feed on shrubs and leaves, lichens and mosses. An important part of the diet is mushrooms, among which there are even fly agarics. Moose also love berries, and they usually eat them along with shoots. They love cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, mountain ash. In the cold and hungry season, moose gnaw bark with pleasure. It is easy to guess where the elk lives, since he prefers such food. Of course, in the forest!

But the most obvious answer is not always the only one. Moose also settle in swamps, in the steppe and forest-steppe.

Habitat

The map clearly shows where moose live (highlighted in red).

Moose live in wild nature, national parks and reserves in Russia, the USA, Canada, Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, in the countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula and the Baltic states, as well as in the Far East (in the north of Mongolia and China). A small population lives in New Zealand.

Active hunting for mighty master forests led to the fact that in Europe the elk was almost completely exterminated. Populations have been rebuilt from scratch.

The owner of Russian forests

Answering the question about where moose live in Russia, many, in addition to the tundra and taiga, also call Arctic zone. This erroneous opinion arose, probably due to the fact that in the Far North it is common close relative elk - reindeer.

In fact, the moose doesn't like too much harsh winters. He confidently overcomes swampy areas, but it is hard for him to wander through the snow for a long time and look for food under it.

The elk population living in Russia is the largest in the world. About half of all existing moose live in Russian Siberia, the Far East and the European part of the country.

elk emigrant

And how could an elk end up on the other side of the earth? This species was brought to New Zealand Europeans in the 19th century, along with other animals of hunting interest.

Currently, the New Zealand population is small. Some researchers, relying on the lack of photographs taken by camera traps over the past half century, are trying to prove that there are no moose left in the island state at all. But many hunters claim that they periodically see elk, and some of the discarded horns, places of lairs and paths trodden by powerful hooves were even photographed.

Where does the moose winter?

Old hunters know how to determine by the behavior of moose what the coming winter will be like. If the females with cubs, and after a while the males are removed from their homes and roam south, then there will be a lot of snow, and the thermometer will significantly creep down. Migrations begin in November, when winter has not yet full force, and the moose calves born at the beginning of summer have grown enough and got stronger.

Where does the moose live in winter? Approximately in the same conditions as in the rest of the year. Elk prefer to move to coniferous and mixed forests, where it is easier to find food. The places where moose spend the winter are called wintering grounds.

Migration is not an obligatory habit of the elk. Populations living in regions with a temperate climate, where no more than half a meter of snow falls in winter, usually do not roam and lead a sedentary lifestyle.

As at any other time of the year, the availability of water is very important for moose. These animals drink a lot, and, unlike others, they do not eat snow to replenish moisture reserves, saving heat.

Moose natural enemies

In the same place where moose live, other animals live in the forests. Of course, not every predator will dare to attack a large animal that can fight back. Yes, and the elk run very well. But moose can be hunted by wolves, especially during the hungry winter.

True, when answering a question about the main enemy of an elk, animal rights activists, unfortunately, first of all call a man with a gun. Moose hunting has more than once put these animals on the brink of extinction, because of the amusements of man, huge herds died. Today hunting is controlled.

How to behave where the moose lives

Of course, looking at a massive body on high legs and a broad-sided head with powerful horns, one can understand that the elk is not so harmless. Deciding that a person is dangerous for the elk family, he can attack.

Experienced huntsmen are advised to simply freeze for a while when they see this animal. Moose do not see very well, so soon the elk will simply pass by. It is unlikely that you will have to wait long; these animals spend the lion's share of their time in search of food.

Drivers should be especially careful. Moose are not too shy, so when they see a moving vehicle, they may not step aside. A direct collision with an obstacle weighing 600 kilograms can throw even a minibus or jeep into a ditch. Some accidents that occurred due to the exit of moose onto the roadway end in the death of both people and animals.

Protection of animals in their natural habitat

Today, many forestry enterprises are taking a number of measures to maintain the number and growth of the populations of these animals. In those forests where moose live, in winter, feeders with hay and vegetables are equipped for them, salt licks are laid out (moose are very fond of licking salt stones). Hunting is strictly controlled, and poaching is punished to the fullest extent of the law.

This powerful beautiful animal is admirable with all its appearance. In ancient times, people worshiped him. His image can be seen on the sarcophagi of ancient tombs and cave walls. primitive people. As a heraldic symbol, this animal has always denoted strength and endurance. Among the people, he was nicknamed respectfully - "moose" - by the similarity of the shape of the horns with the agricultural tool plow.

The official name is “moose”, from the Old Slavonic “ols”, given to the animal by the red color of the coat of its cubs. In the old days, the peoples of Siberia called the elk simply - "the beast." The North American Apache Indians have a legend about the insidious moose, and the Canadian Indians have a noble one. In Vyborg, a monument to an elk is erected, which, at the cost of his life, saved lost hunters from a pack of wolves.

Moose description

Elk is an animal mammal, belongs to the order of artiodactyls, the suborder of ruminants, the deer family and the elk genus. The exact number of elk subspecies has not yet been established. It varies from 4 to 8. The largest of them are the Alaskan and Eastern European subspecies, the smallest is the Ussuri subspecies, which has antlers that are not characteristic of an elk, without “blades”.

Appearance

In the family deer elk- the largest animal. The height at the withers can reach 2.35 m, the body length can reach up to three meters, and the weight can reach 600 kg or more. Male moose are always much larger than females.

In addition to size, a number of other factors distinguish an elk from other representatives of the deer family:

• physique: the torso is shorter, and the legs are longer;
• the shape of the horns: horizontal, not vertical like a deer;
• has withers resembling a hump;
• the head is very large with a characteristic "humped nose" and a fleshy upper lip;
• under the throat of the male elk there is a soft leathery outgrowth, up to 40 cm long, called the "earring".

Because of the long legs, the moose has to either go deep into the water or kneel to get drunk. The elk's coat is hard to the touch, but has a soft thick undercoat that warms the animal in cold weather. By winter, the wool grows 10 cm in length. The longest coat of the elk is on the withers and neck, which outwardly makes it look like a mane and creates a feeling of the presence of a hump on the body of the animal. Coat color - with a transition from black (in the upper part of the body) to brown (in the lower part) and whitish - to the legs. Moose are darker in summer than in winter.

Elk - the owner of the largest horns among mammals. The weight of the horns can reach 30 kg and have a span of 1.8 m. Only males can boast of this decoration on their heads. Moose females are always hornless.

Every year - at the end of autumn - the elk sheds its antlers, walks without them until spring, and then grows new ones. The older the moose, the more powerful its horns, the wider their "shovel" and the shorter the processes.

It is interesting! The horns fall off due to a decrease in the amount of sex hormones in the blood of the elk after the end of mating season. Hormonal changes lead to a softening of the bone substance at the point of attachment of the horns to the skull. The discarded antlers contain a lot of protein and are food for rodents and birds.

Moose calves acquire small horns by the year. Initially, they are soft, covered with thin skin and velvety fur, which makes them vulnerable to injuries and insect bites, causing significant discomfort to the animal. Such torment lasts for two months, after which the calf's horns become hard, and the blood supply to them stops.

The process of shedding the horns does not cause pain to the animal, but rather a relief. In winter, at the end of the mating season, the moose do not need them, they only complicate movement in the snow with extra weight on their heads.

Lifestyle

Moose lead a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, preferring to stay in one place if the conditions are comfortable and there is enough food. Winter with a thick layer of snow and lack of food make them set off.

Moose do not like deep snow, they are looking for places where snow cover does not exceed half a metre. First, females with moose calves go on the road, males follow them. They return from the winter hut in the spring, when the snow begins to melt, in the reverse order - the procession is led by males and childless females.

Moose can travel up to 15 km per day. By the way, they run well, reaching speeds up to 55 km per hour.

Moose are not herd animals. They live separately, one by one or 3-4 individuals. They gather in small groups only for the winter hut and, with the onset of spring, disperse again into different sides. Moose gathering places for the winter quarters are called “camps” in Russia, and “yards” in Canada. Sometimes up to 100 moose gather in one camp.

Moose activity depends on the time of year, more specifically, temperature. environment. In the summer heat, moose are inactive during the day, hiding from the heat and midges in the water, in ventilated forest glades, in the shade of dense thickets. They come out to feed when the heat subsides - at night.

In winter, on the contrary, moose feed during the day, and at night, to keep warm, they lie down in the snow, like a bear in a den, plunging into it almost completely. Only ears and withers stick out. If the body temperature of an elk drops to 30 degrees, the animal will die from hypothermia.

Only during the rutting season, moose are active, regardless of the time of day and temperature.

It is interesting! An elk's body temperature from running fast in the heat can rise to 40 degrees and lead to heatstroke. The reason for this is a special natural repellent that is produced by a moose instead of ordinary sweat - the so-called "fat".

It protects the animal from the bites of blood-sucking insects, saves in the cold, but also plays a cruel joke when it is very hot. Zhiropot, clogging the pores of the skin, preventing the body from cooling quickly.

Moose have excellent hearing and poor vision.. How well developed the moose's hearing and sense of smell are, so weak is their vision. An elk is not able to distinguish a motionless figure of a person from a distance of 20 meters

Moose are excellent swimmers. These animals love water. They need it both as a rescue from midges and as a source of food. An elk is able to swim up to 20 km and can stay under water for more than a minute.

Moose are non-conflict animals. The level of their aggression rises only during the rut. Only then does the moose use its horns for its intended purpose, fighting with a rival for a female. In other cases, when attacked by a wolf or a bear, the elk defends itself with its front legs. The first moose does not attack and, if there is an opportunity to escape, runs away.

Lifespan

Nature has prepared a solid life span for the elk - 25 years. But in vivo this peaceful giant rarely lives past the age of 12. This is due to predators - wolves and bears, diseases and a person who uses an elk for his fishing purposes. Elk hunting is allowed from October to January.

Range, habitats

The total number of elk in the world is close to one and a half million. More than half of them live in Russia. The rest live in Eastern and Northern Europe - in Ukraine, Belarus, Poland, Hungary, the Baltic states, the Czech Republic, Finland, Norway.

It is interesting! Europe exterminated its moose in the 18th and 19th centuries. It caught on only in the last century, starting to carry out active protective measures for the surviving single specimens, exterminating wolves, rejuvenating forest plantations. The moose population has been restored.

There are moose in the north of Mongolia, northeast China, the USA, Alaska and Canada. For habitats, elk chooses birch and pine forests, willow and aspen forests along the banks of rivers and lakes, although it can live both in the tundra and in the steppe. However, preference is given mixed forests with thick undergrowth.

Moose diet

Moose menu is seasonal. In summer, these are the leaves of shrubs and trees, aquatic plants and grasses. Preference is given to mountain ash, aspen, maple, birch, willow, bird cherry, water capsules, water lilies, horsetail, sedge, willow-herb, sorrel, tall umbrella grasses. Moose cannot nibble on small grass. Do not allow short neck and long legs. By the end of summer, mushrooms, blueberry and lingonberry bushes, along with berries, enter the diet of the elk. In autumn it comes down to bark, moss, lichens and leaf litter. By winter, the elk moves to branches and shoots - wild raspberries, mountain ash, fir, pine, willow.

It is interesting! The summer daily diet of an elk is 30 kg of plant food, the winter one is 15 kg. In winter, moose drink little and do not eat snow, keeping their body heat.