Black bodied, pale brown legs legs, reddish brown face, black nose
Discovered by: Miller in 1899
Estimated population: 170,000-220,000
Biggest subspecies
Lives in tundra biome
Lives in Alaska, western Yukon, and northwest British Columbia
Predators: bears and wolves
Prey/food source: plants, berries, twig ends, bark, etc.
Relationship with their predator: Predators often kill calves (baby moose) so the population stays in check at a low most of the time. The amount of wolves depends on amount of prey, in this case, the moose. Bears are very good at killing adults and calves, and scientists have predicted a decrease in bear population, meaning there will be many moose left to harvest. In places where wolves and bears aren't common, there are many moose.
Adaptations include: huge antlers, hooved feet, long legs, fur with warming features, their gut, molars, and their hearing and sense of smell. The antlers are to attract mates and threaten others. The hooves are so it does not sink into the snow, have good footing, and swimming. The long legs help them run quickly and jump over obstacles. The fur is to keep them warm and buoyant while swimming. Their gut includes the rumen and a long intestinal tract to digest their food. The teeth are to bring twigs into their mouth and chew them. The sense of smell can detect predators from a long distance, and the hearing is also to detect predators, because the location of the moose's eyes on the side of the head leaves a blind spot in front of them.
Behavioural adaptations include: instinctively tilting its head back while running through dense brush, and travelling for a while and then walking in a circle. The tilting of the head helps them run through brush easier and faster, also allowing them to quickly escape from predators. The walking in a circle helps get predators off their scent long enough for them to escape.