Minnesota Seasons

Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

NatureServe

not listed
N5 - Secure
SNR - Unranked

Minnesota

Special Concern
Species in Greatest Conservation Need

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.

Description

Size

Total length: 94″ to 110″

Tail: 3″ to 4⅜″

Male: 992 to 1,102 lb

Female: 750 to 926 lb

Sign

Similar Species

Habitat

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.

Ecology

Behavior

Lifespan

Mostly 8 to 12 years, but up to 22 years

Life Cycle

Food

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.

Distribution
		Sources 6, 7, 24, 29, 30. Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 12/16/2025). McGrae, Amanda M. 2025. 2025 Aerial Moose survey. Forest Wildlife Research Group, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul. 8 pp. Timm, R. M. 1975. Distribution, natural history, and parasites of mammals of Cook County, Minnesota. Occasional Papers, Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota 14:1–56. Hazard, Evan B. 1982. The Mammals of Minnesota. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 280 pp. The counties in light green lack modern records but have historic county or township specimens or records.
12/16/2025







Occurrence
Locally common Most Moose in Minnesota are in the northeastern counties. There are far fewer Moose in the northwest. Moose occasionally stray south out of their usual range but they do not set up resident populations there. An areal survey of Moose is conducted each year in northeastern Minnesota by the Minnesota DNR. In 2006, there were an estimated 8,840 Moose in northeastern Minnesota. In 2018, there were an estimated 3,030 Moose. That was a decline of almost 66% in twelve years. In 2025, there were an estimated 4,040 Moose in the northeastern Minnesota, up 33.3% from 2018.

Taxonomy

Class

Mammalia (Mammals)

Subclass

Theria

Infraclass

Placentalia (Placental Mammals)

Magnorder

Boreoeutheria

Superorder

Laurasiatheria (Ungulates, Carnivorans, and Allies)

Order

Artiodactyla (Even-toed Ungulates and Cetaceans)

Suborder

Ruminantia (Ruminants)

Infraorder

Pecora

Superfamily

Cervoidea

Family

Cervidae (Deer)

Subfamily

Capreolinae (New World Deer, Moose, Caribou, and Roe Deer)

Tribe

Alceini (Mooses)

Genus

Alces (True Moose)

Species

There is continuing 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. Mammal Species of the World, GBIF, NCBI, ITIS, and Catalogue of Life all classify the North American Moose as Alces americanus. Mammal Diversity Database (MDD), IUCN Red List, NatureServe, and iNaturalist, recognize just one species, Alces alces. In either classification, there are four subspecies in North America and two in Minnesota.

Subordinate Taxa

Alaskan Moose (Alces alces gigas)

Eastern Moose (Alces alces americana)

Eastern Siberian Moose (Alces alces buturlini)

Eurasian Moose (Alces alces alces)

Northwestern Moose (Alces alces andersoni)

Shiras Moose (Alces alces shirasi)

Ussuri Moose (Alces alces cameloides)

Western Siberian Moose (Alces alces pfizenmayeri)

Synonyms

Alces alce

Alces antiquorum

Alces coronatus

Alces europaeus

Alces jubata

Alces machilis

Alces muswa

Alces palmatus

Alces runnymedensis

Cervalces americanus

Cervus alces

Common Names

Eastern Moose

Moose

Siberian Elk

Visitor Photos

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Bobbi Johnson

… guy we saw leisurely walking down the side of the road while going out to Hibbing.


A moose and her calf... she was crossing the road when we were coming back from Virginia, MN.