The adult moose is a large mammal, shaped much like a horse, which is dark brown in color. Their hindquarters are slightly lighter in color and so is their underbelly. The hair is short in the warmer months, longer and thicker in the winter months and it's hollow, which helps them to swim. The male moose, called a bull, grows a large rack of antlers which, when fully grown, can be up to 6 or 7 feet across and weigh around 80 pounds! The female moose, called a cow, does not grow antlers. Moose have large ears which can pivot independently from each other in all directions and so they have very good hearing. The shape and placement of the antlers on the males may even improve their auditory abilities. Moose have dark brown eyes which, like the ears, can pivot independently 180°, therefore a moose can see all but what is directly behind him. Their sense of smell is also very acute. The nose has special valves inside which allow moose to submerge their heads and dive under water.
The moose has a very thick, strong neck from which hangs a long, round flap of skin and hair called a dewlap, or bell. This varies in appearance from moose to moose and occurs in both male and female of the species. Some dewlaps are fat and up to 20 inches long; some are short and thin; and some others may just be a tuft a hair. See examples of different dewlaps below. Researchers have yet to discover a purpose for the dewlap.
A moose's shoulder, which can be over 6 feet high, culminates in a rather large hump. The hair on the hump is a little longer than the rest of the moose's hair and it stands on end when the animal is angry. Their shoulders, as well as their hindquarters, are very muscular. The average bull weighs around 1200 pounds and is 9 feet from nose to tail. Despite the huge size of this imposing creature, it's tail is only 3 inches long.
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Moose have very long, thin legs ending in a split hoof with 2 toes. These toes spread apart a bit when the moose walks in the mud and snow and this keeps the animal from sinking in or sticking to the ground. In deep snow or mud, the footprint, or track, of a moose may also show 2 smaller extra "toes" called dew claws, which are situated a few inches up on the back of a moose's ankle. The long legs allow them to run at speeds up to 35 mph, although they tend toward a slightly slower, high-stepped trot. |
All of these physical characteristics allow the moose to live happily in the Northern Boreal Forests and boggy wetlands.
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