Moose in the Midst of Autumn

Moose in the midst of Autumn. This is a bull moose in rut in the Peak of fall foliage accompanying his cow. Moose are temperamental this time of... more

by Wildlife Fine Art

Title

Moose in the Midst of Autumn

Artist

Wildlife Fine Art

Medium

Photograph - Prints / Licensing

Description

Moose in the midst of Autumn. This is a bull moose in rut in the Peak of fall foliage accompanying his cow. Moose are temperamental this time of year, otherwise pretty easy going for bulls. The species found in Yellowstone and Tetons are called the Shiras moose. Moose prefer to live in forests, where a water source such as a stream or pond is in close proximity. Older male moose are the first ones to shed their antlers around December followed by the mature moose that shed their antlers by the end of January. Moose are incredibly near-sighted. Their eyes are great for spotting vegetation on the bottom of ponds and shallow lakes while they graze. Moose like to swim and they can swim many miles without stopping and can stay underwater for up to 30 seconds. A full-grown moose can swim 6 mph, and keep that pace for two hours. Why do moose swim? It helps them keep their body temperature down on hot summer days.They can close their nostrils, which gives them the ability to graze under water. A bulls antlers can weigh 40-60 lbs, but one of the biggest threats they face comes from a snail. Certain snails carry a parasite called brain worm, and moose frequently ingest small snails while foraging in warm, shallow water. Brain worms cause neurological damage that can be fatal to moose. Interestingly, all other members of the deer family often carry brain worms, but are unaffected by them. Long legs help a moose get through the drifting snow of its northern environment. Moose have no upper front teeth. This space allows them to suck small marine plants into their mouth while grazing underwater.but the sharp incisors on the lower jaw, tongue, lips, gums, and six pairs of molars and premolars help in cutting and eating even woody vegetation.
In mountainous areas moose typically seek low elevations in winter,where snow depth and hardness may be less and return to high elevations in summer,where forage quality and quantity may be greater.

Uploaded

October 24th, 2016