CRITTER CORNER
o begin, let us clear up the age-old
question, “What is the plural of moose?” It
is not “mooses” or “meese”, but simply ”moose.”
The word comes from an Algonquin (Native
American) word that means “twig eater.”
The moose is a national symbol of Canada.
It is the largest member of the deer family. At 6
feet from feet to shoulders, some bulls (males)
tower over all but the tallest professional
basketball players. Moose have thick, brown fur
that is hollow inside, keeping them warm. They
have long faces, short tails, and humps on their
shoulders. A moose’s front legs are longer than
its back legs. Its large hooves act as snowshoes,
allowing it to walk in the snow without sinking.
A moose’s sharp hooves are also its first line
of defense against its main predators, wolves,
bears, and cougars.
Although not usually aggressive, moose
have attacked humans more than bears and
wolves combined. Best not to moose around
with a cranky bull during mating season or
a protective cow (female) or her calf (baby),
unless you can run 36 miles per hour. (Moose
can run up to 35 mph.) A growing danger for
drivers is hitting a moose on the road. Most
auto/moose collisions happen at dawn or dusk
in the summer and fall.
Perhaps the moose’s best-known feature
is its antlers. Males have huge antlers that can
stretch six feet across. Each year, antlers begin
to grow in the spring and take three to five
months to reach their full size. They are used
to threaten other males when fighting over
females. Paddles (antlers) are actually made of
bone, requiring strong neck moose-cles to hold
them up. After mating season, the antlers are
rubbed off on trees and chewed upon by mice
and other rodents for their calcium. The cycle
will repeat the next spring.
Strange as it seems, this lumbering land
animal is actually a graceful underwater expert.
When the ice melts, moose head for lakes, rivers,A female moose and her calf stroll in
the mountains of Alberta, Canada.by Pat Betteley