Animals & Tracks

The Moose – King of the Forest

The moose is the largest land animal in Norway. It lives mainly alone, although moose can be seen in groups when moving between grazing grounds and places with…

Created: March 8, 2022 11:54 AM

Alces alces

Height: 140 – 210 cm (adult shoulder height)

Weight: 380 – 700 kg (bull) 200 – 490 (cow)

The moose is the largest land animal in Norway. It lives mainly alone, although moose can be seen in groups when moving between grazing grounds and places with plenty of food. The moose grazes on a wide variety of plants. Rowan, aspen and goat willow are popular food, but the moose will happily wade out into water to eat aquatic plants – and in winter it eats the buds of young pine as well as twigs and bark from deciduous trees.

Only the bull moose grows antlers. The antlers are shed each year, then grow out again. The purpose of the antlers is to impress the females by showing that the bull has a surplus of energy and is therefore a good mating partner. The period when the cows are receptive to mating is called the rut. This period falls in autumn.

The cow moose calves in May. The calf will follow its mother closely for a year. The mother watches over her young carefully during the first months.

What if you meet a moose?

Many people find it can seem frightening to meet an animal as large as the moose on trips through forest and field. Fortunately the moose is a peaceful giant that moves off when it senses people nearby. The moose is nonetheless a large animal that one should respect. So if you meet a moose, you should enjoy the sight from a distance. A moose shows clearly through its body language whether it is displeased. It lays its big ears back and lowers its head. If you see this, you should withdraw.

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