The Moose

A Story by Brandon S.

What animal has a flap of fur hanging from its chin, needs 50-60 lbs of food a day to stay healthy, can swim up to 10 miles, can run up to 30 miles and is crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk). If you guessed the Moose you’re right.

A male Moose is called a bull. A female Moose is called a cow. Life expectancy of 10 to 16 years. A female Moose has a 8 months gestation period.When it starts to grow its antlers it has a velvet like cover that carries blood vessels to the antlers. The scientific classification of a moose include

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Chordata

Class Mammalia

Order Artiodactyla

Family Cervidae

Genus Alces

Species A. Alces

The Moose has some weird characteristics like the male moose drop their antlers around February. The females have no antlers. They weigh around 400 to 1580 pounds. The Moose is color ranges from tan grey and brown. A Moose's height ranges from 4 to 7 feet at the shoulders. The Moose has a flap of fur hanging from its chin. That scientists are not sure what it's for.

The most lives in Canada Alaska New England in the Northwestern USA. They also like to live in the most cold forests of North America. It's also a herbivore which means that eats plants and fruit. The moose like to eat aquatic plants.

The adaptations of a moose include that it is active at dawn and dusk. The Moose has good smell but very poor eyesight. The Moose has been known to mistake cars and bears as potential mates. The Moose regurgitates several times to get as much nutritional value as possible. The Moose need to eat 50-60 pounds of food a day to stay healthy.

A Moose's predators are humans, wolves and bears. The moose population has been at a decline in the midwest since 2000. Some cool facts about the moose included can run up to 35 miles an hour and swim up to 10 miles an hour. A moose's hair is hollow which helps insulate them in the cold. The moose needs 50-60 pounds of food a day.

What was your favorite fact? Mine was that the Moose can run up to 35 miles and swim up to 10 miles an hour. What can eat aquatic plants, lives in the most cold forest and their color ranges from tan, grey and brown if you guess the Moose you're right.