moose
(Alces americanus)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
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Description |
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Size |
Total length: 94″ to 110″ Tail: 3″ to 4⅜″ Male: 992 to 1,102 lb Female: 750 to 926 lb |
Sign |
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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. |
Biology |
Behavior |
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Lifespan |
Mostly 8 to 12 years, but up to 22 years |
Life Cycle |
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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 |
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Sources DelGiudice, G. D. 2016. 2016 Aerial moose survey. Forest Wildlife Populations and Research Group, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, St. Paul. 7 pp. Moose occasionally stray south out of their usual range but do not set up resident populations there. Hazard15 shows town records in Hubbard, Pine, Hennepin, Dakota, and Le Sueur Counties, and iNaturalist has one record in Hennepin County. Those records are light green on the map. |
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| 5/5/2024 | ||
Occurrence |
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Locally common 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. 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 2024, there are an estimated 3,470 moose in the northeastern Minnesota, up 14.5% from 2018. |
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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, moose, caribou, and roe deer) |
Tribe |
Alceini (mooses) |
Genus |
Alces (true moose) |
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, and ITIS all classify the North American moose as Alces americanus. Older print sources and many online sources, including IUCN Red List, NatureServe, and iNaturalist, 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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Alaskan 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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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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… guy we saw leisurely walking down the side of the road while going out to Hibbing. |
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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 |
Moose |
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About
Alces alces |
Alces alces (Moose) |
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Moose |
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Alces americana |
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Visitor Videos |
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Other Videos |
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Moose (Cervidae: Alces americanus) Antlered Male |
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/ |
October Minnesota Moose - 2015 |
About
Published on Oct 25, 2015 October moose in Superior National Forest, NE Minnesota. |
Moose Mortality Study 2014 - Michelle Carstensen |
About
Published on Feb 20, 2014 Minnesota DNR Wildlife Health Program Supervisor Michelle Carstensen talks about the 2014 Moose Mortality Project. |
Minnesota DNR Moose Research Project - 2013 |
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. |
Shooting with Sparky—Moose Calling Successful! Minnesota |
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: |
Visitor Sightings |
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| Bobbi Johnson 5/3/2024 |
Location: St. Louis County, MN … guy we saw leisurely walking down the side of the road while going out to Hibbing. |
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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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