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Moose

THE SPECIES: Alces alces 

moose.jpgIn the boreal forests of the northern hemisphere, the moose is one of the most important links in the food chain. The largest member of the deer family, this massive vegetarian is a source of food for a range of large predators including wolf, grizzly, black bear and humans. Smaller predators and scavengers, such as wolverine, coyotes, red foxes, lynx and even ravens, depend on the remains of moose killed by wolves and bears.

Moose range extends from the Arctic coasts of North America, Europe and Asia down to the southern limits of the worldwide boreal forest. In North America it reaches its southern extent in New York State to the east and Utah to the west. Today, few areas in the world support large, naturally-regulated populations of moose and their predators. Even in the Yukon, the situation is changing in hunted areas.

DISTRIBUTION

Moose inhabit the entire Yukon but are most numerous in the southern parts of the territory. In recent years, biologists have conducted airborne population counts over much of the Yukon landscape. Based on these continuing studies, it is estimated that approximately 65,000 to 70,000 moose live within the boundaries of the Yukon Territory.

Moose are not evenly distributed over the land, but tend to be clumped together in certain habitats. The few moose that inhabit the Yukon's north slope are concentrated in narrow strips of forest along the rivers that run down to the arctic coast. In the southern Yukon, about two thirds of all moose are found at treeline in the subalpine shrub zone, which represents only 15 percent of the land area. In locations with low snowfall, moose will remain in this shrub zone most of the year. Other moose concentrate in recent burn areas, and along waterways with interconnecting marshes, ponds and meandering streams.

CHARACTERISTICS

Two subspecies of moose are recognized in the Yukon and their origins date back to the Wisconsin glaciation. For thousands of years an ice-free portion of northern Yukon and Alaska known as Beringia, was separated from the rest of North America by huge continental ice sheets. When the ice melted away about 12,000 years ago, moose that had been isolated in Berengia, slowly spread southward to occupy the new landscape. Similarly, moose from the lower continent expanded their range northward. When the two subspecies met, they easily interbred and today the Yukon is considered a transition zone between the Alaska Yukon -- or tundra moose (Alces alces gigas) -- and the woodland moose (Alces alces andersoni). With adult males approaching 700 kilograms, the Alaska Yukon moose is the largest moose subspecies in the world.

Bull moose antlers, which are grown and cast off each year, are a dramatic characteristic of this species. Two types of antlers are found in yearling bulls. The cervicorn type varies from a single spike to a small fork, with or without additional points. The palmicorn type have small palms with several points or protuberances. At two years of age nearly all bulls in the Yukon have small, but well developed palms on their antlers. The size of the palms, antler spread and number of tines increase each year until the bulls reach their prime at about six years of age. After the prime years, antlers may become slightly smaller and begin to deform.

Although the moose has relatively poor eyesight it has a keen sense of smell and excellent hearing. Mule-like ears can usually capture the faint sounds of a stealthily approaching predator.

The mooses large overhanging snout is equipped with self-sealing nostrils that allow the animal to submerge its head when feeding on aquatic plants. A flap of skin, called the bell, hangs from its throat, but serves no known purpose.

The long legs and splayed hooves of the moose can carry it through a variety of rough terrain; over windfall in thick forests and burn areas; through the deep snow of winter; across rivers; and through boggy swamps, ponds and marshes.

A YEAR IN THE LIFE

Spring

As the snow cover begins to melt and flow downslope to the frozen stream beds, pregnant cow moose look for safe and secluded places to give birth. Calves are born from mid-May to mid-June. Some cows birth at tree line in the subalpine zone, while others birth at river level in the valley bottoms. In the southwest Yukon, grizzlies that spend much of their time in the subalpine in spring, kill about 50 percent of each year's calf crop. Most of these kills are made before the calves reach eight weeks of age. Wolves take fewer newborn calves than grizzlies, but continue to prey on the older calves year-round.

Moose have one of the highest reproduction rates of all the Yukon large mammals. Many cows breed for the first time at 1 1/2 years of age and every year or two afterwards. Where food is plentiful, twins are common and triplets are occasionally born. In the Yukon, about 30 percent of pregnant cows give birth to twins.

From late spring through the summer, moose feed on the new buds and fresh growths of willow. Aquatic plants, such as the yellow pond lily, draw the long-legged moose out into ponds and lakes at this time of year.

Antler development begins in March or April, first in older bulls and last in yearlings. During the growth period, the soft spongy antlers are covered with a dark brown, velvety skin.

Summer

Waterways are important feeding areas for moose, but they also provide escape routes from the ever-present danger of predator attack. When pursued by wolves or bears in the summer season, moose often head for water where their long legs give them an advantage.

The moose is a browser; "eater of twigs" as the Algonkian Indian name translates. In a single day, an adult can consume about 20 kilograms of twigs, leaves, shrubs and other land and water plants. A ruminant like the domestic cow, the moose has a series of stomachs to help digest its woody diet. It can sometimes be seen chewing its cud.

Those calves that survive through the heavy spring predation, grow dramatically over their first summer. Adding as much as two kilograms per day, they weigh about 180 kilograms (400 pounds) by the time autumn arrives.

Fall

Cow moose can experience three estrous or breeding periods in the fall. The second estrous, which occurs between the last week of September and the first week of October, is the period of greatest fertility.

Rutting, which commonly occurs at treeline in the subalpine zone, brings new sounds to the landscape. The coughs, grunts, and bellows of bull moose are heard along with the rubbing of antlers against trees and the calls of the cows. Finally the clash of antler to antler resounds as two bulls collide and begin their shoving match.

Dominant bulls try to keep lesser bulls away from their group of cows, which can number up to ten or more. At the same time, the bulls continually monitor their cows, ready to mate with any that come into estrous. All in all it's an incredibly demanding time for these bulls. They stop eating for a month or so during the rut; their necks swell and they become unusually aggressive. But it's a short-lived power they wield. When the rut is over in October, a dominant bull is often exhausted, undernourished, and has lost up to 20 percent of his weight. Sometimes the price for perpetuating his genes is a weakened state that leaves the bull more vulnerable to potential causes of mortality.

Prime bulls drop their antlers from late November through February. Young bulls lag a month or more behind.

Winter

Winter is a season of reduced food supplies for moose, and increased predation by wolves.
Fresh willow buds, leaves and aquatic plants are no longer available. Forage is restricted to the woody twigs of poplar, birch, alder and willow. In late winter, when food supplies are at their lowest, some moose move into aspen stands and use their front teeth to scrape the bark down to the nutritious layer of cambium underneath. In areas of heavy snowfall, many moose will move down to the lower valleys as winter progresses.

An average Yukon wolf pack (seven to nine wolves) will kill one moose every five or six days through the winter. Although the wolves tend to concentrate on calves and older age moose, any moose can be vulnerable to wolf predation, depending on the terrain, snow conditions, and its response to attack. Generally, a moose that remains stationary can successfully defend itself from wolves, while a moose that flees is attacked from the rear and often brought down. By backing into a thicket of trees, a moose can fend off wolves with its powerful front hooves.

MOOSE AND PEOPLE

Moose meat has helped to support the lives of Yukon First Nations for thousands of years. There have been periods, however, when moose were virtually absent from the Yukon. Apparently, during the early 1900's moose were scarce in the territory and people of that time relied mainly on caribou for food.

When moose were present, like caribou, they were guided into snares or killing corrals by long brush fences. The snares were made from strips of half-tanned hide. A dozen or so strips would be braided together to make a strong cable about a one or two centimetres in diameter. When set in an opening in the brush fence and tethered to a heavy drag pole, the snare would catch a moose around the neck and hold it until it became exhausted. Moose were also killed with bows and arrows, but the hunter often had to trail the animal for days before it dropped -- not an easy task.

Today, moose hunting provides many Yukoners with lean meat. For First Nations, the activity also helps to maintain their link to the land and their culture.

Two thirds of resident big game hunting effort in the Yukon is aimed at moose. Residents take 500 to 800 moose each year, most of which are killed in September when the rut begins.

Much of the moose hunting effort is concentrated along roadways, and in some areas this has led to declining hunting success in recent years. Hunters are encouraged to spread their effort into more remote areas where the chances of success are greater and the effects on moose populations are less.

VIEWING OPPORTUNITIES

Many Yukoners can remember when moose were commonly seen along roadways. Today, road travellers are occasionally fortunate enough to see a moose crossing the roadway or feeding on the edges of nearby ponds or meadows. But the determined viewer or photographer is best advised to leave the vehicle behind and paddle, hike, or travel by horseback or riverboat into the wilderness.

Travellers on the less-travelled Yukon rivers are almost certain to see moose, especially in spring and early summer.

In the fall, when rutting groups are at treeline, a hike up the mountainside can be very rewarding. Caution is advised, as bull moose in the rut can be dangerous. Bring your binoculars, and remember that moose are most active at dawn and dusk.

IDENTIFICATION

A bull moose with antlers is difficult to confuse with any other animal. It is much larger and darker than a caribou, mule deer or elk. It's antlers have broad palms while those of the other deer have generally narrow beams. A cow moose is also much larger than a caribou, mule deer or elk. It is darker in colour than the other deer and its legs are longer.

To distinguish between a bull moose and a cow during the antlerless period, look for antler scars on the bull's forehead (dark round buttons), and a white vulva patch under the cow's tail.

DID YOU KNOW?

 

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