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134-437: There is a rich animal life inside the park. The largest mammals are the moose , but they often migrate to more wooded areas outside the park for the winter. The park has 12 winter grazing units for reindeer . Consequently, from November to April inclusive, the reindeer completely dominate the park. Brown bear have their winter lairs within the national park and wolverines only visit sporadically. The red fox and stoat are

268-480: A browser , the moose's diet consists of both terrestrial and aquatic vegetation, depending on the season, with branches, twigs and dead wood making up a large portion of their winter diet. Predators of moose include wolves , bears , humans , wolverines (rarely, though may take calves), and (rarely, if swimming in the ocean) orcas . Unlike most other deer species, moose do not form herds and are solitary animals , aside from calves who remain with their mother until

402-529: A dewlap or bell, which is a fold of skin under the chin. Its exact function is unknown, but some morphologic analyses suggest a cooling (thermoregulatory) function. Other theories include a fitness signal in mating, as a visual and olfactory signal, or as a dominance signal by males, as are the antlers. The moose is a browsing herbivore and is capable of consuming many types of plant or fruit. The average adult moose needs to consume 96 megajoules (23,000 kilocalories) per day to maintain its body weight. Much of

536-409: A 'velvet' texture." This requires intense grazing on a highly-nutritious diet. By September the velvet is removed by rubbing and thrashing which changes the colour of the antlers. Immature bulls may not shed their antlers for the winter, but retain them until the following spring. Birds, carnivores and rodents eat dropped antlers as they are full of protein and moose themselves will eat antler velvet for

670-581: A bull that reportedly scaled 1,180 kg (2,601 lb), but none are authenticated and some may not be considered reliable. Bull moose have antlers like other members of the deer family. The size and growth rate of antlers is determined by diet and age. Size and symmetry in the number of antler points signals bull moose health and cows may select mates based on antler size and symmetry. Bull moose use their antlers to display dominance, to discourage competition, and to spar or fight rivals. The male's antlers grow as cylindrical beams projecting on each side of

804-506: A completely different species of deer, Cervus canadensis , also called the wapiti (from Algonquin ). A mature male moose is called a bull, a mature female a cow, and an immature moose of either sex a calf. In Classical Antiquity , the animal was known as ἄλκη álkē in Greek and alces in Latin , words probably borrowed from a Germanic language or another language of northern Europe. By

938-461: A distinctive appearance similar to coral. Like roe deer , moose are more likely to develop perukes, rather than cactus antlers, than the more developed cervine deer, but unlike roe deer, moose do not suffer fatal decalcification of the skull as a result of peruke growth, but rather can support their continued growth until they become too large to be fully supplied with blood. The distinctive-looking perukes (often referred to as "devil's antlers") are

1072-562: A moose being scavenged by a Greenland shark ( Somniosus microcephalus ). In some areas, moose are the primary source of food for wolves. Moose usually flee upon detecting wolves. Wolves usually follow moose at a distance of 100 to 400 meters (300 to 1,300 ft), occasionally at a distance of two to three kilometers (1 to 2 mi). Attacks from wolves against young moose may last seconds, though sometimes they can be drawn out for days with adults. Sometimes, wolves will chase moose into shallow streams or onto frozen rivers, where their mobility

1206-472: A moose's energy is derived from terrestrial vegetation, mainly consisting of forbs and other non-grasses, and fresh shoots from trees such as willow and birch . As these terrestrial plants are rather low in sodium , as much as half of its diet usually consists of aquatic plants, including lilies and pondweed , which while lower in energy content, provide the moose with its sodium requirements. In winter, moose are often drawn to roadways, to lick salt that

1340-567: A natural defense, such as liver flukes , brain worms and winter tick infestations. Predation of moose calves by brown bear is also significant. Landscape change from salvage logging of forest damage caused by the mountain pine beetle has resulted in greater foraging in logged areas by female moose, and this is the lead hypothesis as to why the moose population is declining in eastern North American forests, as this likely leads to increased predation. An alternate hypotheses among biologists for generalized, nonhunting declines in moose populations at

1474-548: A pack of gray wolves ( Canis lupus ) can still pose a threat, especially to females with calves. Brown bears ( Ursus arctos ) are also known to prey on moose of various sizes and are the only predator besides the wolf to attack moose both in Eurasia and North America. In Western Russia, moose provide about 15% annual estimated dietary energy content for brown bears and are the most important food source for these predators during spring. However, Brown bears are more likely to scavenge

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1608-457: A predator. However, like all ungulates known to attack predators, the more aggressive individuals are always darker in color, with the darkest coloring usually in areas facing the opponent, thus serving as a natural warning to other animals. Moose require habitat with adequate edible plants (e.g., pond grasses, young trees and shrubs), cover from predators, and protection from extremely hot or cold weather. Moose travel among different habitats with

1742-433: A problem. Moose prefer sub-alpine shrublands in early winter, while bison prefer wet sedge valley meadowlands in early winter. In late winter, moose prefer river valleys with deciduous forest cover or alpine terrain above the tree line, while bison preferred wet sedge meadowlands or sunny southern grassy slopes. After expanding for most of the 20th century, the moose population of North America has been in steep decline since

1876-556: A quarter of the population of Lewiston, Waterville , and Biddeford are Franco-American. Most of the residents of the Mid Coast and Down East sections are chiefly of British heritage. Smaller numbers of various other groups, including Irish , Italian , Swedish and Polish , have settled throughout the state since the late 19th and early 20th century immigration waves. Today there are four federally recognized tribes in Maine, including

2010-530: A separate state. On March 15, 1820, under the Missouri Compromise , Maine was admitted to the Union as the 23rd state. Today, Maine is known for its jagged, rocky Atlantic Ocean and bay-shore coastlines, mountains, heavily forested interior, and its cuisine, particularly wild lowbush blueberries and seafood such as lobster and clams . Coastal and Down East Maine have emerged as important centers for

2144-442: A study of trophy antlers using a microphone found that the palmate antler acts as a parabolic reflector, amplifying sound at the moose's ear. The antlers of mature Alaskan adult bull moose (5 to 12 years old) have a normal maximum spread greater than 200 centimeters (79 in). By the age of 13, moose antlers decline in size and symmetry. The widest spread recorded was 210 centimeters (83 in) across. An Alaskan moose also holds

2278-452: A wolf kill or to take young moose than to hunt adult moose on their own. Black bears ( Ursus americanus ) and cougars ( Puma concolor ) can be significant predators of moose calves in May and June and can, in rare instances, prey on adults (mainly cows rather than the larger bulls). Wolverines ( Gulo gulo ) are most likely to eat moose as carrion but have killed moose, including adults, when

2412-541: Is 2.4–3.1 m (7 ft 10 in – 10 ft 2 in), with the vestigial tail adding only a further 5–12 cm (2– 4 + 1 ⁄ 2  in). The largest of all the races is the Alaskan subspecies ( A. a. gigas ), which can stand over 2.1 m (6 ft 11 in) at the shoulder, has a span across the antlers of 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) and averages 634.5 kg (1,399 lb) in males and 478 kg (1,054 lb) in females. Typically, however,

2546-718: Is a state in the New England region of the United States , and the northeastern most state in the Lower 48 . It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and northwest, and shares a maritime border with Nova Scotia . Maine is the largest state in New England by total area, nearly larger than

2680-501: Is about twice that of the caribou. Moose skin is typical of the deer family . Moose fur consists of four types of hair: eyelashes , whiskers , guard hairs and wool hairs. Hair length and hair density varies according to season, age, and body region. The coat has two layers—a top layer of long guard hairs and a soft wooly undercoat. The guard hairs are hollow and filled with air for better insulation, which also helps them stay afloat when swimming. Both male and female moose have

2814-476: Is an important cause of moose morbidity and mortality and also contributes to vulnerability to predators. Ectoparasites of moose include the moose nose bot fly , and winter ticks . Endoparasites of moose include dog tapeworm , meningeal worm , lungworm, and roundworm. Moose are mostly diurnal . They are generally solitary with the strongest bonds between mother and calf. Although moose rarely gather in groups, there may be several in close proximity during

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2948-421: Is browsing aquatic vegetation. The moose proboscis likely evolved as an adaptation to aquatic browsing, with loss of the rhinarium , and development of a superior olfactory column separate from an inferior respiratory column. This separation contributes to the moose's keen sense of smell, which they employ to detect water sources, to find food under snow, and to detect mates or predators. As with all members of

3082-547: Is evident with migratory birds like piping plovers , American oystercatcher , and northern harrier , as well as resident species like black-capped chickadees , blue jays , and barred owls . Wetlands provide habitat for amphibians such as spotted salamanders , wood frogs , and toads. Freshwater habitats support fish species like brook trout , landlocked salmon , and multiple gamefish , while marine life in offshore waters includes Atlantic puffins , harbor seals , minke whales , and lobster . Maine's abundance of lobster makes

3216-527: Is forested or unclaimed, the most forest cover of any U.S. state . In the wooded areas of the interior lies much uninhabited land, some of which does not have formal political organization into local units (a rarity in New England). The Northwest Aroostook unorganized territory in the northern part of the state, for example, has an area of 2,668 square miles (6,910 km ) and a population of 10, or one person for every 267 square miles (690 km ). Maine

3350-492: Is greatly impeded. Moose will sometimes stand their ground and defend themselves by charging at the wolves or lashing out at them with their powerful hooves. Wolves typically kill moose by tearing at their haunches and perineum , causing massive blood loss . Occasionally, a wolf may immobilize a moose by biting its sensitive nose, the pain of which can paralyze a moose. Wolf packs primarily target calves and elderly animals, but can and will take healthy, adult moose. Moose between

3484-651: Is in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome . The land near the southern and central Atlantic coast is covered by the mixed oaks of the Northeastern coastal forests . The remainder of the state, including the North Woods , is covered by the New England–Acadian forests . Maine has almost 230 miles (400 km) of ocean coastline (and 3,500 miles (5,600 km) of tidal coastline). West Quoddy Head in Lubec

3618-531: Is more than 30 centimetres (1 ft) higher than the next-largest deer on average, the wapiti . The tail is short (6 cm to 8 cm in length) and vestigial in appearance; unlike other ungulates the moose tail is too short to swish away insects. Males (or "bulls") normally weigh from 380 to 700 kg (838 to 1,543 lb) and females (or "cows") typically weigh 200 to 490 kg (441 to 1,080 lb), depending on racial or clinal as well as individual age or nutritional variations. The head-and-body length

3752-462: Is now Odanak . The other Abenaki tribes suffered several severe defeats, particularly during Dummer's War , with the capture of Norridgewock in 1724 and the defeat of the Pequawket in 1725, which significantly reduced their numbers. They finally withdrew to Canada , where they were settled at Bécancour and Sillery , and later at St. Francis, along with other refugee tribes from the south. Maine

3886-516: Is part of a cultural region known as Acadia that goes over the border into New Brunswick . Along with the Acadian population in the north, many French-Canadians came from Quebec as immigrants between 1840 and 1930. The upper Saint John River valley area was once part of the so-called Republic of Madawaska , before the frontier was decided in the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842. Over

4020-450: Is still growing or able to grow, since testosterone is needed to stop antler growth; they may take one of two forms. "Cactus antlers" or velericorn antlers usually retain the approximate shape of a normal moose's antlers but have numerous pearl-shaped exostoses on their surface; being made of living bone, they are easily broken but can grow back. Perukes ( US : / p ə ˈ r uː k s / ) are constantly growing, tumor-like antlers with

4154-526: Is the easternmost point of land in the 48 contiguous states. Along the famous rock-bound coast of Maine are lighthouses, beaches, fishing villages, and thousands of offshore islands, including the Isles of Shoals which straddle the New Hampshire border. There are jagged rocks and cliffs and many bays and inlets. Inland are lakes, rivers, forests, and mountains. This visual contrast of forested slopes sweeping down to

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4288-479: Is the most densely populated with nearly 40% of Maine's population. This area spans three counties and includes many farms and wooded areas; the 2016 population of Portland proper was 66,937. Maine has experienced a very slow rate of population growth since the 1990 census; its rate of growth (0.57%) since the 2010 census ranks 45th of the 50 states. In 2021 and 2022, however, Maine had the highest proportion of arriving residents to departing residents of any state in

4422-404: Is to the north and northeast, and the province of Quebec is to the northwest. Maine is the northernmost and largest state in New England, accounting for almost half of the region's entire land area. Maine is the only state to border exactly one other American state. Approximately half the area of Maine lies on each side of the 45th parallel north in latitude . Maine is the easternmost state in

4556-448: Is used as a snow and ice melter. A typical moose, weighing 360 kg (794 lb), can eat up to 32 kg (71 lb) of food per day. Moose lack upper front teeth , but have eight sharp incisors on the lower jaw. They also have a tough tongue, lips and gums, which aid in the eating of woody vegetation. Moose have six pairs of large, flat molars and, ahead of those, six pairs of premolars, to grind up their food. A moose's upper lip

4690-422: Is usually the first sign of aggression, while laid-back ears or a lowered head is a sign of agitation. When the hairs on the back of the moose's neck and shoulders ( hackles ) stand up, a charge is usually imminent. The Anchorage Visitor Centers warn tourists that "...a moose with its hackles raised is a thing to fear." Moose cows are more likely to emit protest moans when courted by small males. This attracts

4824-431: Is very sensitive, to help distinguish between fresh shoots and harder twigs, and is prehensile , for grasping their food. In the summer, moose may use this prehensile lip for grabbing branches and pulling, stripping the entire branch of leaves in a single mouthful, or for pulling forbs , like dandelions , or aquatic plants up by the base, roots and all. A moose's diet often depends on its location, but they seem to prefer

4958-610: The Canadian Maritimes and Quebec . South of the Canada–US border, Maine has most of the population with a 2012 headcount of about 76,000 moose. Dispersals from Maine over the years have resulted in healthy, growing populations each in Vermont and New Hampshire , notably near bodies of water and as high up as 910 m (3,000 ft) above sea level in the mountains. In Massachusetts , moose had gone extinct by 1870, but re-colonized

5092-910: The Caucasus . It is listed under Appendix III of the Bern Convention. In 2008, two moose were reintroduced into the Scottish Highlands in Alladale Wilderness Reserve . The moose disappeared as a breeding species from Denmark about 4,500 years ago (in the last century, a very small number have lived for periods in Zealand without establishing a population after swimming across the Øresund from Sweden), but in 2016-17 ten were introduced to Lille Vildmose from Sweden. In 2020, this population had increased to about 25 animals. Maine Maine ( / m eɪ n / MAYN )

5226-583: The Confederate Army during the Battle of Gettysburg . Four U.S. Navy ships have been named USS Maine , most famously the armored cruiser USS  Maine  (ACR-1) , whose sinking by an explosion on February 15, 1898, precipitated the Spanish–American War . To the south and east is the Gulf of Maine , and to the west is the state of New Hampshire . The Canadian province of New Brunswick

5360-529: The Contiguous United States both in its extreme points and its geographic center. The town of Lubec is the easternmost organized settlement in the United States. Its Quoddy Head Lighthouse is also the closest place in the United States to Africa and Europe. Estcourt Station is Maine's northernmost point, as well as the northernmost point in New England. (For more information see extreme points of

5494-515: The Eastern moose 's history is very well documented: moose meat was a staple in the diet of indigenous peoples for centuries. The common name "moose" was brought into English from the word used by those who lived in present day coastal Rhode Island . The indigenous people often used moose hides for leather and its meat as an ingredient in pemmican , a type of dried jerky used as a source of sustenance in winter or on long journeys. The historical range of

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5628-439: The Eastern white pine . Coastal regions are characterized by hardy sea milkwort , sea-blight , bayberry , and the invasive rugosa rose . Maine's terrestrial fauna comprises mammals such as moose , black bears , and white-tailed deer , along with smaller species like red squirrels , snowshoe hares , and raccoons . Maine has the largest populations of moose and black bears in the contiguous United States. Avian diversity

5762-762: The Kennebec River and St. Croix River notionally became Cornwall County, Province of New York under a 1664 grant from Charles II of England to his brother James , at the time the Duke of York . Some of this land was claimed by New France as part of Acadia . All of the English settlements in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the Province of New York became part of the Dominion of New England in 1686. All of present-day Maine

5896-462: The Narragansett moos and Eastern Abenaki mos ; according to early sources, these were likely derived from moosu , meaning "he strips off"), and possibly involved forms from multiple languages mutually reinforcing one another. The Proto-Algonquian form was *mo·swa . On average, an adult moose stands 1.4–2.1 m (4 ft 7 in – 6 ft 11 in) high at the shoulder, which

6030-615: The Northern Hemisphere , thriving in cooler, temperate areas as well as subarctic climates . Hunting shaped the relationship between moose and humans, both in Eurasia and North America. Prior to the colonial era (around 1600-1700 CE), moose were one of many valuable sources of sustenance for certain tribal groups and First Nations . Hunting and habitat loss have reduced the moose's range; this fragmentation has led to sightings of "urban moose" in some areas. The moose has been reintroduced to some of its former habitats. Currently,

6164-528: The Plymouth Company in 1607. A number of English settlements were established along the coast of Maine in the 1620s, although the rugged climate and conflict with the local Indigenous people caused many to fail. As Maine entered the 18th century, only a half dozen European settlements had survived. Loyalist and Patriot forces contended for Maine's territory during the American Revolution . During

6298-606: The Province of Maine in a 1622 land patent. The part of western Maine north of the Kennebec River was more sparsely settled and was known in the 17th century as the Territory of Sagadahock . A second settlement was attempted in 1623 by English explorer and naval Captain Christopher Levett at a place called York , where he had been granted 6,000 acres (24 km ) by King Charles I of England. It also failed. The 1622 patent of

6432-598: The Wabanaki Confederacy , aiding the Wampanoag of Massachusetts and the Mahican of New York . Afterwards, many of these people were driven from their natural territories, but most of Maine's tribes continued, unchanged, until the American Revolution . Before this point, however, most of these people were considered separate nations. Many had adapted to living in permanent, Iroquois -inspired settlements, while those along

6566-622: The War of 1812 , the largely undefended eastern region of Maine was occupied by British forces with the goal of annexing it to Canada via the Colony of New Ireland , but returned to the United States following failed British offensives on the northern border, mid-Atlantic and south which produced a peace treaty that restored the pre-war boundaries. Maine was part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts until 1820 when it voted to secede from Massachusetts to become

6700-503: The creative economy , especially in the vicinity of Portland , which has also brought gentrification to the city and its metropolitan area. The earliest known inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine were Algonquian-speaking Wabanaki peoples, including the Passamaquoddy , Maliseet , Penobscot , Androscoggin , and Kennebec. During the later King Philip's War , many of these peoples would merge in one form or another to become

6834-555: The only species in the genus Alces . It is also the tallest, and the second-largest, land animal in North America , falling short only of the American bison in body mass. Most adult male moose have broad, palmate ("open-hand shaped") antlers ; other members of the deer family have pointed antlers with a dendritic ("twig-like") configuration. Moose inhabit the circumpolar boreal forests or temperate broadleaf and mixed forests of

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6968-628: The 18th and 19th century, respectively. By the early 20th century, the last strongholds of the European moose appeared to be in Fennoscandian areas and patchy tracts of Russia, with a few migrants found in what is now Estonia and Lithuania . The USSR and Poland managed to restore portions of the range within its borders (such as the 1951 reintroduction into Kampinos National Park and the later 1958 reintroduction in Belarus), but political complications limited

7102-513: The 1990s. Populations expanded greatly with improved habitat and protection, but now the moose population is declining rapidly. This decline has been attributed to opening of roads and landscapes into the northern range of moose, allowing deer to become populous in areas where they were not previously common. This encroachment by deer on moose habitat brought moose into contact with previously unfamiliar pathogens, including brainworm and liver fluke, and these parasites are believed to have contributed to

7236-765: The 8th century, during the Early Middle Ages , the species was known as Old English : elch, elh, eolh, derived from the Proto-Germanic : *elho- , *elhon- and possibly connected with the Old Norse : elgr . Later, the species became known in Middle English as elk , elcke , or elke , appearing in the Latinized form alke , with the spelling alce borrowed directly from Latin: alces . The word "elk" remained in usage because of English-speakers' familiarity with

7370-690: The American Revolution and the War of 1812, with the British occupying eastern Maine in both conflicts via the Colony of New Ireland . The territory of Maine was confirmed as part of Massachusetts when the United States was formed following the Treaty of Paris ending the revolution, although the final border with British North America was not established until the Webster–Ashburton Treaty of 1842. Maine

7504-842: The Americas, moose injure more people than any other wild mammal; worldwide, only hippopotamuses injure more. When harassed or startled by people or in the presence of a dog , moose may charge. Also, as with bears or most wild animals, moose accustomed to being fed by people may act aggressively when denied food. During the fall mating season, bulls may be aggressive toward humans. Cows are protective of young calves and will attack humans who come close, especially if they come between mother and calf. Moose are not territorial, do not view humans as food, and usually will not pursue humans who run away. Moose are unpredictable. They are most likely to attack if annoyed or harassed, or if approached too closely. A moose that has been harassed may vent its anger on anyone in

7638-567: The Province of Maine was split at the Piscataqua River into the Province of New Hampshire to the south and New Somersetshire to the north. A disputed 1630 patent split off the area around present-day Saco as Lygonia . Justifying its actions with a 1652 geographic survey that showed an overlapping patent, the Massachusetts Bay Colony had seized New Somersetshire and Lygonia by force by 1658. The Territory of Sagadahock between

7772-400: The United States (outside of Alaska and New England), most moose are found further to the north, west and northeast (including Colorado , Idaho , Michigan , Minnesota , Montana , North Dakota , Utah , Vermont , Wisconsin and Wyoming ), and individuals have been documented wandering as far south as western Oklahoma , northeastern Arizona and northwestern New Mexico . Predominantly

7906-578: The United States ) Maine's Moosehead Lake is the largest lake wholly in New England, since Lake Champlain is located between Vermont , New York , and Quebec . A number of other Maine lakes, such as South Twin Lake , are described by Thoreau in The Maine Woods (1864). Mount Katahdin is the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail , which extends southerly to Springer Mountain , Georgia , and

8040-452: The United States. According to the 2010 census , Maine has the highest percentage of non-Hispanic White of any state, at 94.4% of the total population. In 2011, 89.0% of all births in the state were to non-Hispanic White parents. Maine also has the second-highest residential senior population. According to HUD 's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report , there were an estimated 4,411 homeless people in Maine. The table below shows

8174-795: The ability to reintroduce it to other portions of its range. Attempts in 1930 and again in 1967 in marshland north of Berlin were unsuccessful. At present in Poland, populations are recorded in the Biebrza river valley, Kampinos, and in Białowieża Forest . It has migrated into other parts of Eastern Europe and has been spotted in eastern and southern Germany. Unsuccessful thus far in recolonizing these areas via natural dispersal from source populations in Poland , Belarus , Ukraine , Czech Republic , and Slovakia , it appears to be having more success migrating south into

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8308-423: The ages of two and eight are seldom killed by wolves. Though moose are usually hunted by packs, there are cases in which single wolves have successfully killed healthy, fully-grown moose. Research into moose predation suggests that their response to perceived threats is learned rather than instinctual. In practical terms this means moose are more vulnerable in areas where wolf or bear populations were decimated in

8442-557: The antlers of a mature bull are between 1.2 and 1.5 m (3 ft 11 in and 4 ft 11 in). The largest confirmed size for this species was a bull shot at the Yukon River in September 1897 that weighed 820 kg (1,808 lb) and measured 2.33 m (7 ft 8 in) high at the shoulder. There have been reported cases of even larger moose, including a bull killed in 2004 that weighed 1,043 kg (2,299 lb), and

8576-615: The attention of large males, promotes male-male competition and violence, reduces harassment of cows by small males, and increases mating opportunities with large males. This in turn means that the cow moose has at least a small degree of control over which bulls she mates with. Moose often show aggression to other animals as well, especially predators. Bears are common predators of moose calves and, rarely, adults. Alaskan moose have been reported to successfully fend off attacks from both black and brown bears. Moose have been known to stomp attacking wolves, which makes them less preferred as prey to

8710-406: The coast tended to move from summer villages to winter villages on a yearly cycle. They would usually winter inland and head to the coasts by summer. European contact with what is now called Maine may have started around 1200 CE when Vikings are believed to have interacted with the native Penobscot in present-day Hancock County , most likely through trade. If confirmed, this would make Maine

8844-430: The combined area of the remaining five states. Of the 50 U.S. states , it is the 12th-smallest by area , the 9th-least populous , the 13th-least densely populated , and the most rural. Maine's capital is Augusta , and its most populous city is Portland , with a total population of 68,408, as of the 2020 census . The territory of Maine has been inhabited by Indigenous populations for about 12,000 years, after

8978-614: The complex snout may assist the moose in this type of feeding. Moose are the only deer that are capable of feeding underwater. As an adaptation for feeding on plants underwater, the nose is equipped with fatty pads and muscles that close the nostrils when exposed to water pressure, preventing water from entering the nose. Other species can pluck plants from the water too, but these need to raise their heads in order to swallow. Moose are not grazing animals but browsers (concentrate selectors). Like giraffes , moose carefully select foods with less fiber and more concentrations of nutrients. Thus,

9112-412: The country, with 1.8 arrivals for every departure. The modest population growth in the state has been concentrated in the southern coastal counties; with more diverse populations slowly moving into these areas of the state. However, the northern, more rural areas of the state have experienced a slight decline in population from 2010 to 2016. As of 2020, Maine has the highest population age 65 or older in

9246-696: The cow begins estrus again (typically 18 months after the birth of a calf). At this point, the cow chases their calf away. Although generally slow-moving and sedentary, moose can become defensively aggressive, and move very quickly if angered or startled. Their mating season in the autumn features energetic fights between males competing for a female. Alces alces is called a "moose" in North American English , but an "elk" in British English . The word "elk" in North American English refers to

9380-680: The disputed areas containing land. Also in this easternmost area in the Bay of Fundy is the Old Sow , the largest tidal whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere . Maine is the least densely populated state east of the Mississippi River . It is called the Pine Tree State due to its largest distribution and presence of pine , including Pinus strobus and Pinus resinosa . Over 80% of its total area

9514-714: The early 1700s to Kahnewake , a Catholic Mohawk village near Montreal , where some were adopted and others ransomed. After the British defeated the French in Acadia in the 1740s, the territory from the Penobscot River east fell under the nominal authority of the Province of Nova Scotia , and together with present-day New Brunswick formed the Nova Scotia county of Sunbury , with its court of general sessions at Campobello. American and British forces contended for Maine's territory during

9648-517: The entire length of the sound. These features also have made it attractive for boat builders, such as the prestigious Hinckley Yachts . Bubble Rock, a glacial erratic , is a large boulder perched on the edge of Bubble Mountain in Acadia National Park . By analyzing the type of granite, geologists discovered that glaciers carried Bubble Rock to its present location from near Lucerne , 30 miles (48 km) away. The Iapetus Suture runs through

9782-630: The following year, keeping a balance between slave and free states. Maine's original state capital was Portland, Maine's largest city, until it was moved to the more central Augusta in 1832. The principal office of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court remains in Portland. The 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment , under the command of Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain , prevented the Union Army from being flanked at Little Round Top by

9916-417: The glaciers retreated during the last ice age . At the time of European arrival, several Algonquian -speaking nations governed the area and these nations are now known as the Wabanaki Confederacy . The first European settlement in the area was by the French in 1604 on Saint Croix Island , founded by Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons . The first English settlement was the short-lived Popham Colony , established by

10050-638: The greatest populations occur in Canada , where they can be found in all provinces (excepting Nunavut and Prince Edward Island ); additionally, substantial numbers of moose are found in Alaska , New England (with Maine having the most of the contiguous United States ), the State of New York , Fennoscandia , the Baltic states , the Caucasus region, Belarus , Poland , Eastern Europe , Mongolia , Kazakhstan , and Russia . In

10184-458: The ground. Moose are excellent swimmers and are known to wade into water to eat aquatic plants. This trait serves a second purpose in cooling down the moose on summer days and ridding itself of black flies . Moose are thus attracted to marshes and river banks during warmer months as both provide suitable vegetation to eat and water to wet themselves in. Moose have been known to dive over 5.5 metres (18 ft) to reach plants on lake bottoms, and

10318-485: The head at right angles to the midline of the skull, and then fork. The lower prong of this fork may be either simple, or divided into two or three tines , with some flattening. Most moose have antlers that are broad and palmate (flat) with tines (points) along the outer edge. Within the ecologic range of the moose in Europe, northern populations display the palmate pattern of antlers, while the antlers of European moose residing

10452-408: The large ungulates are weakened by harsh winter conditions. Orcas ( Orcinus orca ) are the moose's only confirmed marine predator as they have been known to prey on moose and other deer swimming between islands out of North America's Northwest Coast. However, such kills are rare and a matter of opportunity, as moose are not a regular part of the orca diet. There is at least one recorded instance of

10586-485: The last Ice Age, as Europe had a mix of temperate boreal and deciduous forest. Up through Classical times, the species was certainly thriving in both Gaul and Magna Germania , as it appears in military and hunting accounts of the age. However, as the Roman era faded into medieval times, the beast slowly disappeared: soon after the reign of Charlemagne , the moose disappeared from France , where its range extended from Normandy in

10720-528: The late spring and summer months are usually driest—a rarity across the Eastern United States. Maine has fewer days of thunderstorms than any other state east of the Rockies , with most of the state averaging fewer than twenty days of thunderstorms a year. Tornadoes are rare in Maine, with the state averaging two per year, although this number is increasing. Most severe thunderstorms and tornadoes occur in

10854-442: The males assess which of them is dominant and one bull may retreat, however, the interaction can escalate to a fight using their antlers. Female moose have an eight-month gestation period, usually bearing one calf, or twins if food is plentiful, in May or June. Twinning can run as high as 30% to 40% with good nutrition Newborn moose have fur with a reddish hue in contrast to the brown appearance of an adult. The young will stay with

10988-644: The mating season. Rutting and mating occurs in September and October. During the rut , mature bulls will cease feeding completely for a period of approximately two weeks; this fasting behavior has been attributed to neurophysiological changes related to redeployment of olfaction for detection of moose urine and moose cows. The males are polygynous and will seek several females to breed with . During this time both sexes will call to each other. Males produce heavy grunting sounds that can be heard from up to 500 metres (1,600 ft) away, while females produce wail-like sounds. Males will fight for access to females. Initially,

11122-597: The melting of heavy glacier ice caused a slight rebounding effect of underlying rock; this land rise, however, was not enough to eliminate all the effect of the rising sea level and its invasion of former land features. Much of Maine's geomorphology was created by extended glacial activity at the end of the last ice age . Prominent glacial features include Somes Sound and Bubble Rock, both part of Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island. Carved by glaciers, Somes Sound reaches depths of 175 feet (50 m). The extreme depth and steep drop-off allow large ships to navigate almost

11256-472: The mid 17th century from Maine south to areas within 160 kilometers (100 mi) of present-day Manhattan. However, by the 1870s, only a handful of moose existed in this entire region in very remote pockets of forest; less than 20% of suitable habitat remained. Since the 1980s, however, moose populations have rebounded, thanks to regrowth of plentiful food sources, abandonment of farmland, better land management, clean-up of pollution, and natural dispersal from

11390-435: The moose foot into soft ground or snow, and which increases efficiency when swimming. The body weight per footprint surface area of the moose foot is intermediate between that of the pronghorn foot, (which have stiff feet lacking dewclaws—optimized for high-speed running) and the caribou foot (which are more rounded with large dewclaws, optimized for walking in deep snow). The moose's body weight per surface area of footprint

11524-789: The moose population is declining rapidly in the Midwest. Moose were successfully introduced on Newfoundland in 1878 and 1904, where they are now the dominant ungulate , and somewhat less successfully on Anticosti Island in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence . Since the 1990s, moose populations have declined dramatically in much of temperate North America, although they remain stable in Arctic and subarctic regions. The exact causes of specific die-offs are not determined, but most documented mortality events were due to wolf predation, bacterial infection due to injuries sustained from predators, and parasites from white-tailed deer to which moose have not developed

11658-587: The moose's digestive system has evolved to accommodate this relatively low-fiber diet. Unlike most hooved, domesticated animals ( ruminants ), moose cannot digest hay , and feeding it to a moose can be fatal. The moose's varied and complex diet is typically expensive for humans to provide, and free-range moose require a lot of forested hectarage for sustainable survival, which is one of the main reasons moose have never been widely domesticated. A full-grown moose has few enemies except Siberian tigers ( Panthera tigris tigris ) which regularly prey on adult moose, but

11792-611: The most common of the smaller predators. Many small rodents are found in the park. Lemmings , field voles , root voles and northern water voles are most widespread, but their numbers vary a great deal from year to year. The northern red-backed vole , a typical Siberian species, is a characteristic inhabitant of the national park. The area has a stable hare population, and a few species of shrews are also present. Anarjohka national park has many kinds of fish. Salmon , trout , three-spined sticklebacks , grayling , vendace , pike , perch , burbot , and minnows are common. One of

11926-481: The most relevant evidence being the Maine Penny , an 11th-century Norwegian coin found at a Native American dig site in 1954. The first European confirmed settlement in modern-day Maine was in 1604 on Saint Croix Island , led by French explorer Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons . His party included Samuel de Champlain , noted as an explorer. The French named the entire area Acadia , including the portion that later became

12060-528: The mother until just before the next young are born. The life span of an average moose is about 15–25 years. Moose populations are stable at 25 calves for every 100 cows at 1 year of age. With availability of adequate nutrition, mild weather, and low predation, moose have a huge potential for population expansion. Moose are not typically aggressive towards humans, but will be aggressive when provoked or frightened. Moose attack more people than bears and wolves combined, but usually with only minor consequences. In

12194-411: The new growths from deciduous trees with a high sugar content, such as white birch, trembling aspen and striped maple , among many others. To reach high branches, a moose may bend small saplings down, using its prehensile lip, mouth or body. For larger trees a moose may stand erect and walk upright on its hind legs, allowing it to reach branches up to 4.26 meters (14 ft 0 in) or higher above

12328-657: The north and west of the state, being underlain by the ancient Laurentian terrane , and the south and east underlain by the Avalonian terrane . Acadia National Park is the only national park in New England. Areas under the protection and management of the National Park Service include: Lands under the control of the state of Maine include: Maine has a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfb ), with warm and sometimes humid summers, and long, cold and very snowy winters. Winters are especially severe in

12462-658: The north to the Pyrenees in the south. Farther east, it survived in Alsace and the Netherlands until the 9th century as the marshlands in the latter were drained and the forests were cleared away for feudal lands in the former. It was gone from Switzerland by the year 1000, from the western Czech Republic by 1300, from Mecklenburg in Germany by c. 1600, and from Hungary and the Caucasus since

12596-530: The northern and western parts of Maine, while coastal areas are moderated slightly by the Atlantic Ocean , resulting in marginally milder winters and cooler summers than inland regions. Daytime highs are generally in the 75–85 °F (24–29 °C) range throughout the state in July, with overnight lows in the high 50s   °F (around 15   °C). January temperatures range from highs near 30 °F (−1 °C) on

12730-464: The nutrients. If a bull moose is castrated , either by accidental or chemical means , he will shed his current set of antlers within two weeks and then immediately begin to grow a new set of misshapen and deformed antlers that he will wear the rest of his life without ever shedding again; similarly deformed antlers can result from a deficiency of testosterone caused by cryptorchidism or old age. These deformed antlers are composed of living bone which

12864-533: The order Artiodactyla ( even-toed ungulates ), moose feet have two large keratinized hooves corresponding to the third and fourth toe, with two small posterolateral dewclaws (vestigial digits), corresponding to the second and fifth toe. The hoof of the fourth digit is broader than that of the third digit, while the inner hoof of the third digit is longer than that of the fourth digit. This foot configuration may favor striding on soft ground. The moose hoof splays under load, increasing surface area, which limits sinking of

12998-450: The past but are now rebounding. These same studies suggest, however, that moose learn quickly and adapt, fleeing an area if they hear or smell wolves, bears, or scavenger birds such as ravens. Moose are also subject to various diseases and forms of parasitism. In northern Europe, the moose botfly is a parasite whose range seems to be spreading. Moose typically carry a heavy burden of parasites, both externally and internally. Parasitosis

13132-643: The population decline of moose. In North America , the moose range includes almost all of Canada (excluding the arctic and Vancouver Island ), most of Alaska , northern and eastern North Dakota , northern New England , the Adirondack Mountain region and Taconic highlands of northeast New York State, the upper Rocky Mountains , northern Minnesota , northern Wisconsin , Michigan 's Upper Peninsula , and Isle Royale in Lake Superior . This massive range, containing diverse habitats, contains four of

13266-591: The posterior division of the main fork divides into three tines, with no distinct flattening. In the common moose ( A. a. alces ) this branch usually expands into a broad palmation, with one large tine at the base and a number of smaller snags on the free border. There is, however, a Scandinavian breed of the common moose in which the antlers are simpler and recall those of the East Siberian animals. The palmation appears to be more marked in North American moose than in

13400-562: The racial composition of Maine's population as of 2016. According to the 2016 American Community Survey , 1.5% of Maine's population were of Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race): Mexican (0.4%), Puerto Rican (0.4%), Cuban (0.1%), and other Hispanic or Latino origin (0.6%). The six largest ancestry groups were: English (20.7%), Irish (17.3%), French (15.7%), German (8.1%), American (7.8%) and French Canadian (7.7%). People citing that they are American are of overwhelmingly English descent, but have ancestry that has been in

13534-599: The rarer fish species is char , which is found in only one of the lakes. The park is named after the large river Anárjohka which begins in the park and flows north. The river name comes from the Northern Sami language where johka means "river". The meaning of the first element is unknown (but it is also found in the name of the Finnish Lake Inari which translates to the Sami Anárjávri ). The national park

13668-467: The record for the heaviest weight at 36 kilograms (79 lb). Antler beam diameter, not the number of tines, indicates age. In North America, moose ( A. a. americanus ) antlers are usually larger than those of Eurasian moose and have two lobes on each side, like a butterfly. Eurasian moose antlers resemble a seashell, with a single lobe on each side. In the North Siberian moose ( A. a. bedfordiae ),

13802-538: The region for so long (often since the 17th century) that they choose to identify simply as Americans. Maine has the highest percentage of French Americans of any state. Most of them are of Canadian origin, but in some cases have been living there since prior to the American Revolutionary War . There are particularly high concentrations in the northern part of Maine in Aroostook County , which

13936-422: The risk of predation by wolves and avoid areas with deep snow, as this impairs mobility. Thus, moose select habitat on the basis of trade-offs between risk of predation, food availability, and snow depth. With reintroduction of bison into boreal forest, there was some concern that bison would compete with moose for winter habitat, and thereby worsen the population decline of moose. However, this does not appear to be

14070-484: The sea has been summed up by American poet Edna St. Vincent Millay of Rockland and Camden , in "Renascence": All I could see from where I stood Was three long mountains and a wood; I turned and looked the other way, And saw three islands in a bay. Geologists describe this type of landscape as a "drowned coast", where a rising sea level has invaded former land features, creating bays out of valleys and islands out of mountain tops. A rise in land elevation due to

14204-501: The seasons to address these requirements. Moose are cold-adapted mammals with thickened skin, dense, heat-retaining coat, and a low surface:volume ratio, which provides excellent cold tolerance but poor heat tolerance. Moose survive hot weather by accessing shade or cooling wind, or by immersion in cool water. In hot weather, moose are often found wading or swimming in lakes or ponds. When heat-stressed, moose may fail to adequately forage in summer and may not gain adequate body fat to survive

14338-599: The site of the earliest European discovery in the entire US. About 200 years earlier, from the settlements in Iceland and Greenland , the Norse first identified America and attempted to settle areas such as Newfoundland , but failed to establish a permanent settlement. Archeological evidence suggests that Vikings in Greenland returned to North America for several centuries after the initial discovery to trade and collect timber, with

14472-623: The six North American subspecies. In the West, moose populations extend across Canada ( British Columbia and Alberta ). Isolated groups have been verified as far south as the mountains of Utah and Colorado and as far west as the Lake Wenatchee area of the Washington Cascades . In the northwestern US, the range includes Wyoming , Montana , Idaho , and smaller areas of Washington , and Oregon . Moose have extended their range southwards in

14606-419: The skin raw trying to get the ticks off, making them look white when their outer coat rubs off. Locals call them ghost moose. Loss of the insulating winter coat through attempts to rid the moose of winter tick increases the risk of hypothermia in winter. In Europe , moose are currently found in large numbers throughout Norway , Sweden , Finland , Latvia , Estonia , Poland , with more modest numbers in

14740-400: The source of several myths and legends among many groups of Inuit as well as several other tribes of indigenous peoples of North America. In extremely rare circumstances, a cow moose may grow antlers. This is usually attributed to a hormone imbalance. The moose proboscis is distinctive among living cervids due to its large size; it also features nares that can be sealed shut when the moose

14874-409: The southerly portion of its range are typically of the cervina dendritic pattern and comparatively small, perhaps due to evolutionary pressures of hunting by humans, who prize the large palmate antlers. European moose with antlers intermediate between the palmate and the dendritic form are found in the middle of the north-south range. Moose with antlers have more acute hearing than those without antlers;

15008-509: The southern Czech Republic , Belarus , and northern Ukraine . They are also widespread through Russia on up through the borders with Finland south towards the border with Estonia, Belarus and Ukraine and stretching far away eastwards to the Yenisei River in Siberia . The European moose was native to most temperate areas with suitable habitat on the continent and even Scotland from the end of

15142-469: The southern coast to overnight lows averaging below 0 °F (−18 °C) in the far north. The state's record high temperature is 105 °F (41 °C), set in July 1911, at North Bridgton. Precipitation in Maine is evenly distributed year-round, but with a slight summer maximum in northern/northwestern Maine and a slight late-fall or early-winter maximum along the coast due to " nor'easters " or intense cold-season rain and snowstorms. In coastal Maine,

15276-543: The southern extent of their range is increasing heat stress brought on by the rapid seasonal temperature upswings as a result of human-induced climate change . Biologists studying moose populations typically use warm-season, heat-stress thresholds of between 14 and 24 °C (57 and 75 °F). However, the minor average temperature increase of 0.83–1.11 °C (1.5–2 °F), over the last 100 years, has resulted in milder winters that induce favorable conditions for ticks, parasites and other invasive species to flourish within

15410-582: The southern range of moose habitat in North America. The moose population in New Hampshire fell from 7,500 in the early 2000s to a 2014 estimate of 4,000 and in Vermont the numbers were down to 2,200 from a high of 5,000 animals in 2005. Much of the decline has been attributed to the winter tick, which, between 2017 and 2019, accounted for 74% of all winter mortality and 91% of winter calf deaths in Vermont. Moose with heavy tick infections will rub their fur down to

15544-404: The southern terminus of the new International Appalachian Trail which, when complete, will run to Belle Isle , Newfoundland and Labrador . Machias Seal Island and North Rock , off the state's Downeast coast, are claimed by both Canada and the Maine town of Cutler , and are within one of four areas between the two countries whose sovereignty is still in dispute , but it is the only one of

15678-403: The southwestern interior portion of the state, where summer temperatures are often the warmest and the atmosphere is thus more unstable compared to northern and coastal areas. Maine rarely sees the direct landfall of tropical cyclones , as they tend to recurve out to sea or are rapidly weakening by the time they reach the cooler waters of Maine. In January 2009, a new record low temperature for

15812-529: The species in Continental Europe ; however, without any living animals around to serve as a reference, the meaning became rather vague, and by the 17th century "elk" had a meaning similar to "large deer". Dictionaries of the 18th century simply described "elk" as a deer that was "as large as a horse". The word "moose" had first entered English by 1606 and is borrowed from the Algonquian languages (compare

15946-545: The state in the 1960s, with the population expanding from Vermont and New Hampshire; by 2010, the population was estimated at 850–950. Moose reestablished populations in eastern New York and Connecticut and appeared headed south towards the Catskill Mountains , a former habitat. In the Midwest U.S., moose are primarily limited to the upper Great Lakes region, but strays, primarily immature males, have been found as far south as eastern Iowa. For unknown reasons,

16080-625: The state of Maine. The Plymouth Company established the first English settlement in Maine at the Popham Colony in 1607, the same year as the settlement at Jamestown, Virginia . The Popham colonists returned to Britain after 14 months. The French established two Jesuit missions: one on Penobscot Bay in 1609, and the other on Mount Desert Island in 1613. The same year, Claude de La Tour established Castine . In 1625, Charles de Saint-Étienne de la Tour erected Fort Pentagouet to protect Castine. The coastal areas of eastern Maine first became

16214-438: The state the largest producer of lobster in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the population of Maine was 1,344,212 on July 1, 2019, a 1.19% increase since the 2010 United States census . At the 2020 census , 1,362,359 people lived in the state. The state's population density is 41.3 people per square mile, making it the least densely populated state east of the Mississippi River . As of 2010, Maine

16348-605: The state was set at Big Black River of −50 °F (−46 °C), tying the New England record. Annual precipitation varies from 35.8 in (909 mm) in Presque Isle to 56.7 in (1,441 mm) in Acadia National Park. Maine exhibits a diverse range of flora and fauna across its varied landscapes, including forests, coastline, and wetlands. Forested areas consist primarily of coniferous and deciduous trees, such as balsam fir , sugar maple , and its state tree,

16482-590: The subspecies extended from well into Quebec, the Maritimes, and Eastern Ontario south to include all of New England finally ending in the very northeastern tip of Pennsylvania in the west, cutting off somewhere near the mouth of the Hudson River in the south. The moose has been extinct in much of the eastern U.S. for as long as 150 years, due to colonial era overhunting and destruction of its habitat: Dutch, French, and British colonial sources all attest to its presence in

16616-418: The typical Scandinavian moose. After the mating season males drop their antlers to conserve energy for the winter. A new set of antlers will then regrow in the spring. Antlers take three to five months to fully develop, making them one of the fastest growing animal organs. Antler growth is "nourished by an extensive system of blood vessels in the skin covering, which contains numerous hair follicles that give it

16750-527: The vicinity, and they often do not make distinctions between their tormentors and innocent passersby. Moose are very limber animals with highly flexible joints and sharp, pointed hooves, and are capable of kicking with both front and back legs. Unlike other large, hoofed mammals, such as horses, moose can kick in all directions, including sideways. Thus, there is no safe side from which to approach. Moose often give warning signs prior to attacking, displaying aggression by means of body language. Maintained eye contact

16884-436: The war and refused to defend Maine from British invaders. In 1819, Massachusetts agreed to permit secession, sanctioned by voters of the rapidly growing region the following year. Formal secession from Massachusetts and admission of Maine as the 23rd state occurred on March 15, 1820, as part of the Missouri Compromise , which geographically restricted the spread of slavery and enabled the admission to statehood of Missouri

17018-618: The western Rocky Mountains, with initial sightings in Yellowstone National Park in 1868, and then to the northern slope of the Uinta Mountains in Utah in the first half of the twentieth century. This is the southernmost naturally established moose population in the United States. In 1978, a few breeding pairs were reintroduced in western Colorado, and the state's moose population is now more than 2,400. In northeastern North America,

17152-410: The winter. Also, moose cows may not calve without adequate summer weight gain. Moose require access to both young forest for browsing and mature forest for shelter and cover. Forest disturbed by fire and logging promotes the growth of fodder for moose. Moose also require access to mineral licks, safe places for calving and aquatic feeding sites. Moose avoid areas with little or no snow as this increases

17286-456: The wolves. Moose are fully capable of killing bears and wolves. In one rare event, a female moose killed two adult male wolves. A moose of either sex that is confronted by danger may let out a loud roar, more resembling that of a predator than a prey animal. European moose are often more aggressive than North American moose, such as the moose in Sweden, which often become very agitated at the sight of

17420-540: Was also the most rural state in the Union, with only 38.7% of the state's population living within urban areas. As explained in detail under "Geography", there are large tracts of uninhabited land in some remote parts of the interior of the state, particularly in the North Maine Woods . The mean population center of Maine is located in Kennebec County , just east of Augusta. The Greater Portland metropolitan area

17554-655: Was formerly named "Øvre Anárjohka National Park", but the name was changed in 2021. The word øvre is from the Norwegian language and means "upper", thus the former name means "the upper part of the Anárjohka river". Moose The moose ( pl. : 'moose'; used in North America) or elk ( pl. : 'elk' or 'elks'; used in Eurasia ) ( Alces alces ) is the world's tallest, largest and heaviest extant species of deer and

17688-602: Was much fought over by the French , English, and allied natives during the 17th and 18th centuries. These natives conducted raids against settlers and each other, taking captives for ransom or, in some cases, kidnapped for adoption by Native American tribes. A notable example was the early 1692 Abenaki raid on York , where about 100 English settlers were killed and another estimated 80 taken hostage. The Abenaki took captives taken during raids of Massachusetts in Queen Anne's War of

17822-521: Was physically separate from the rest of Massachusetts. Longstanding disagreements over land speculation and settlements led to Maine residents and their allies in Massachusetts proper forcing an 1807 vote in the Massachusetts Assembly on permitting Maine to secede; the vote failed. Secessionist sentiment in Maine was stoked during the War of 1812 when Massachusetts pro-British merchants opposed

17956-505: Was unified as York County, Massachusetts under a 1691 royal patent for the Province of Massachusetts Bay . Central Maine was formerly inhabited by the Androscoggin tribe of the Abenaki nation , also known as Arosaguntacook. They were driven out of the area in 1690 during King William's War . They were relocated to St. Francis , Canada, which was destroyed by Rogers' Rangers in 1759, and

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