Elk (Moose)
The Elk (Eurasia) or Moose (north America) is the largest living deer species and the second largest land animal.
The Elk is easily recognised by its humped shoulders, broad and overhanging muzzle and the pendulous flap of skin and hair beneath the throat. The body is heavy and deep, with long, rather gangly legs and wide hooves which aid in walking over mud or soft snow. The coat ranges from blackish to reddish brown in colour and lighter on the underparts and lower legs. It provides excellent insulation, consisting of a fine wool undercoat interspersed with long guard hairs.
On average, an adult Elk stands 4.6 to 6.9 feet high at the shoulder, which is more than a foot higher than the next largest deer. The head and body length is 7.9 to 10.2 feet with a small tail adding only a further 2 to 5 inches. Males ("bulls") normally weigh from 838 to 1,543 pounds and females ("cows") typically weigh 441 to 1,080 pounds. The male Elk, as other deer, bears bony, hornlike antlers which are shed each winter and re-grown through the summer. The antlers are massive and palmate (broad and flattened at the base with short projecting branches), measuring up to 6.5 feet across and over 65 pounds in weight, making them the largest of any deer.
In Europe, the Elk is currently found in large numbers throughout Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Estonia and Poland with more modest numbers in the Czech Republic, Belarus and north Ukraine. They are also widespread through Russia on up through the borders with Finland, south towards the border with Estonia, Belarus and Ukraine and east towards Siberia.
The Elk was native to most temperate areas with suitable habitat on the continent and even Scotland from the end of the last Ice Age since Europe had a mix of temperate boreal and deciduous forest. However, from medieval times, it slowly disappeared. By the early 20th century, the very last strongholds of the Elk appeared to be in Scandinavian countries and patchy tracts of Russia with a few migrants found in what is now Estonia and Lithuania. The former Soviet Union and Poland managed to restore parts of the range within its borders in the 1950s but political complications obviously limited the ability to reintroduce it to other parts of its range. Attempts in 1930 and again in 1967 in marshland north of Berlin in Germany were unsuccessful. At present in Poland, populations are recorded in the Biebrza river valley, Kampinos National Park and in the Białowieża Forest. It has migrated in to other parts of eastern Europe and has been recorded in east and south Germany.
The Elk is fairly adaptable in its habitat requirements but it prefers a mosaic of boreal or broad-leaved forest, lakes, swamps and wetlands, requiring forest for cover and water bodies for foraging. The Elk is often associated with spruce, fir and pine forest and it may also occupy tundra and mountains, often in areas characterised by seasonal snow cover.
The Elk may be active by both day and night but activity usually peaks at dawn and dusk. It is a herbivore and is capable of consuming many types of plant or fruit. The diet includes various tree, shrub, grass and herb species as well as twigs and bark in winter. The Elk may markedly alter the structure and dynamics of forest ecosystems through their foraging behaviour. Aquatic vegetation is also taken, the Elk often wading into lakes and streams and sometimes submerging entirely to feed. Some populations migrate in search of food, moving between distinct seasonal home ranges. In winter, Elk are often drawn to roadways, to lick salt that is used as a snow and ice melter.
The Elk is essentially solitary although small, loose groups may form during the mating season and during winter.
Mating occurs in September and October. The males are polygamous and will seek several females to breed with. During this time both sexes will call to each other. Males produce heavy grunting sounds whilst females produce wail-like sounds. Males will fight for access to females. They either assess which is larger with the smaller bull retreating or they may engage in battles usually only involving the antlers. The female Elk has an 8 month gestation period, usually bearing a single calf, or twins if food is plentiful, in May or June. The young will stay with the mother until just before the next young are born. The life span of an average moose is about 15 to 25 years.
A full grown Elk has few enemies except Siberian Tigers which regularly prey on adults but a pack of Wolves can still pose a threat especially to females with calves. The Brown Bear is also known to prey on Elk of various sizes and are the only predator besides the Wolf to attack them although they are more likely to take over a Wolf kill or to take young moose than to hunt an adult Elk on their own. The Wolverine is most likely to eat Elk as carrion but it has been known to kill them when they are weakened by harsh winter conditions. The Killer Whale is the Elk's only known marine predator.
The Elk is hunted as a game species in many of the countries where it is found and in addition it is a regular casualty of road traffic and train collisions.
Date: 29th June 2019
Location: near Storskog, Troms og Finnmark, Norway
The Elk is easily recognised by its humped shoulders, broad and overhanging muzzle and the pendulous flap of skin and hair beneath the throat. The body is heavy and deep, with long, rather gangly legs and wide hooves which aid in walking over mud or soft snow. The coat ranges from blackish to reddish brown in colour and lighter on the underparts and lower legs. It provides excellent insulation, consisting of a fine wool undercoat interspersed with long guard hairs.
On average, an adult Elk stands 4.6 to 6.9 feet high at the shoulder, which is more than a foot higher than the next largest deer. The head and body length is 7.9 to 10.2 feet with a small tail adding only a further 2 to 5 inches. Males ("bulls") normally weigh from 838 to 1,543 pounds and females ("cows") typically weigh 441 to 1,080 pounds. The male Elk, as other deer, bears bony, hornlike antlers which are shed each winter and re-grown through the summer. The antlers are massive and palmate (broad and flattened at the base with short projecting branches), measuring up to 6.5 feet across and over 65 pounds in weight, making them the largest of any deer.
In Europe, the Elk is currently found in large numbers throughout Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Estonia and Poland with more modest numbers in the Czech Republic, Belarus and north Ukraine. They are also widespread through Russia on up through the borders with Finland, south towards the border with Estonia, Belarus and Ukraine and east towards Siberia.
The Elk was native to most temperate areas with suitable habitat on the continent and even Scotland from the end of the last Ice Age since Europe had a mix of temperate boreal and deciduous forest. However, from medieval times, it slowly disappeared. By the early 20th century, the very last strongholds of the Elk appeared to be in Scandinavian countries and patchy tracts of Russia with a few migrants found in what is now Estonia and Lithuania. The former Soviet Union and Poland managed to restore parts of the range within its borders in the 1950s but political complications obviously limited the ability to reintroduce it to other parts of its range. Attempts in 1930 and again in 1967 in marshland north of Berlin in Germany were unsuccessful. At present in Poland, populations are recorded in the Biebrza river valley, Kampinos National Park and in the Białowieża Forest. It has migrated in to other parts of eastern Europe and has been recorded in east and south Germany.
The Elk is fairly adaptable in its habitat requirements but it prefers a mosaic of boreal or broad-leaved forest, lakes, swamps and wetlands, requiring forest for cover and water bodies for foraging. The Elk is often associated with spruce, fir and pine forest and it may also occupy tundra and mountains, often in areas characterised by seasonal snow cover.
The Elk may be active by both day and night but activity usually peaks at dawn and dusk. It is a herbivore and is capable of consuming many types of plant or fruit. The diet includes various tree, shrub, grass and herb species as well as twigs and bark in winter. The Elk may markedly alter the structure and dynamics of forest ecosystems through their foraging behaviour. Aquatic vegetation is also taken, the Elk often wading into lakes and streams and sometimes submerging entirely to feed. Some populations migrate in search of food, moving between distinct seasonal home ranges. In winter, Elk are often drawn to roadways, to lick salt that is used as a snow and ice melter.
The Elk is essentially solitary although small, loose groups may form during the mating season and during winter.
Mating occurs in September and October. The males are polygamous and will seek several females to breed with. During this time both sexes will call to each other. Males produce heavy grunting sounds whilst females produce wail-like sounds. Males will fight for access to females. They either assess which is larger with the smaller bull retreating or they may engage in battles usually only involving the antlers. The female Elk has an 8 month gestation period, usually bearing a single calf, or twins if food is plentiful, in May or June. The young will stay with the mother until just before the next young are born. The life span of an average moose is about 15 to 25 years.
A full grown Elk has few enemies except Siberian Tigers which regularly prey on adults but a pack of Wolves can still pose a threat especially to females with calves. The Brown Bear is also known to prey on Elk of various sizes and are the only predator besides the Wolf to attack them although they are more likely to take over a Wolf kill or to take young moose than to hunt an adult Elk on their own. The Wolverine is most likely to eat Elk as carrion but it has been known to kill them when they are weakened by harsh winter conditions. The Killer Whale is the Elk's only known marine predator.
The Elk is hunted as a game species in many of the countries where it is found and in addition it is a regular casualty of road traffic and train collisions.
Date: 29th June 2019
Location: near Storskog, Troms og Finnmark, Norway
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Also in: North Norway
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