167-689: 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 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
334-480: 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
501-525: 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
668-524: A misfolded protein known as a prion , affects the brain tissue in elk, and has been detected throughout their range in North America. First documented in the late 1960s in mule deer, the disease has affected elk on game farms and in the wild in a number of regions. Elk that have contracted the disease begin to show weight loss, changes in behavior, increased watering needs, excessive salivation and urinating and difficulty swallowing, and at an advanced stage,
835-408: 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
1002-577: 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
1169-503: 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
1336-439: A day or two, and matings usually involve a dozen or more attempts. By the autumn of their second year, females can produce one and, very rarely, two offspring. Reproduction is most common when cows weigh at least 200 kilograms (440 lb). Dominant bulls follow groups of cows during the rut from August into early winter. A bull will defend his harem of 20 cows or more from competing bulls and predators. Bulls also dig holes in
1503-605: A distinct species, namely the Central Asian red deer ( Cervus hanglu ), which also includes the Kashmir stag . Elk have thick bodies with slender legs and short tails. They have a shoulder height of 0.75–1.5 m (2 ft 6 in – 4 ft 11 in) with a nose-to-tail length of 1.6–2.7 m (5 ft 3 in – 8 ft 10 in). Males are larger and weigh 178–497 kg (392–1,096 lb) while females weigh 171–292 kg (377–644 lb). The largest of
1670-457: 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
1837-511: A dozen subspecies. But mitochondrial DNA studies conducted in 2004 on hundreds of samples from red deer and elk subspecies and other species of the Cervus deer family, strongly indicate that elk, or wapiti, should be a distinct species, namely Cervus canadensis . DNA evidence validates that elk are more closely related to Thorold's deer and even sika deer than they are to the red deer. Elk and red deer produce fertile offspring in captivity, and
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#17328456577372004-484: A human getting variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease . Antlers are also used in artwork, furniture and other novelty items. All Asian subspecies, along with other deer, have been raised for their antlers in central and eastern Asia by Han Chinese , Turkic peoples , Tungusic peoples , Mongolians , and Koreans . Elk farms are relatively common in North America and New Zealand. Native Americans have used elk hides for tepee covering, clothing and footwear. Since 1967,
2171-401: A large animal, buglings can reach a frequency of 4000 Hz. This is achieved by blowing air from the glottis through the nasal cavities. Elk can produce deeper pitched (150 Hz) sounds using the larynx . Cows produce an alarm bark to alert other members of the herd to danger, while calves will produce a high-pitched scream when attacked. Female elk have a short estrus cycle of only
2338-491: A mean weight of 275 kilograms (606 lb). The elk is the second largest extant species of deer, after the moose . Antlers are made of bone, which can grow at a rate of 2.5 centimeters (0.98 in) per day. While actively growing, a soft layer of highly vascularized skin known as velvet covers and protects them. This is shed in the summer when the antlers have fully developed. Bull elk typically have around six tines on each antler. The Siberian and North American elk carry
2505-561: 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
2672-470: 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
2839-496: A more efficient path to the ocean than the existing Volga–Don Canal . This usage can also be seen in the names of Eurasianet , The Journal of Eurasian Studies , and the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies , as well as the titles of numerous academic programmes at US universities. This usage is comparable to how Americans use " Western Hemisphere " to describe concepts and organizations dealing with
3006-563: 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
3173-545: 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
3340-456: 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
3507-432: 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
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#17328456577373674-441: 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
3841-435: A tendency to do most of their feeding in the mornings and evenings, seeking sheltered areas in between feedings to digest. Their diets vary somewhat depending on the season, with native grasses being a year-round supplement, tree bark being consumed in winter, and forbs and tree sprouts during the summer. Elk consume an average of 9.1 kilograms (20 lb) of vegetation daily. Particularly fond of aspen sprouts which rise in
4008-576: A wild population has not yet established. Since 2015, elk have also been reintroduced in a number of other states, including Missouri , and introduced to the islands of Etolin and Afognak in Alaska. Reintroduction of the elk into Ontario began in the early 20th century and is ongoing with limited success. Elk and red deer were introduced to Argentina in the early 20th century. There they are now considered an invasive species , encroaching on Argentinian ecosystems where they compete for food with
4175-558: A winter- or disease-weakened adult. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem , which includes Yellowstone National Park, bears are the most significant predators of calves while healthy bulls have never been recorded to be killed by bears and such encounters can be fatal for bears. The killing of cows in their prime is more likely to affect population growth than the killing of bulls or calves. Elk may avoid predation by switching from grazing to browsing. Grazing puts an elk in
4342-447: 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
4509-539: 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,
4676-627: Is a good source of iron , phosphorus and zinc . A male elk can produce 10 to 11 kilograms (22 to 24 lb) of antler velvet annually and on ranches in the United States, Canada and New Zealand, it is collected and sold to markets in East Asia , where it is used in medicine. Some cultures consider antler velvet to be an aphrodisiac . However, consuming velvet from elk in North America may be risky since velvet from animals infected with chronic wasting disease may contain prions that could result in
4843-492: Is a parasitic nematode known to affect the spinal cord and brain tissue of elk and other species, leading to death. The definitive host is the white-tailed deer, in which it normally has no ill effects. Snails and slugs, the intermediate hosts, can be inadvertently consumed by elk during grazing. The liver fluke Fascioloides magna and the nematode Dictyocaulus viviparus are also commonly found parasites that can be fatal to elk. Chronic wasting disease , transmitted by
5010-496: 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
5177-465: Is also not known, but it appears to be highly contagious among elk. Studies are being undertaken by government departments to determine how to halt or eliminate the disease. The elk ranges from central Asia through to Siberia and east Asia and in North America. They can be found in open deciduous woodlands, boreal forests, upland moors, mountainous areas and grasslands. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) list
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5344-472: 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
5511-418: 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
5678-528: Is common with many deer species, and they lose their spots by the end of summer. After two weeks, calves are able to join the herd, and are fully weaned at two months of age. Elk calves are as large as an adult white-tailed deer by the time they are six months old. Elk will leave their natal (birth) ranges before they are three years old. Males disperse more often than females, as adult cows are more tolerant of female offspring from previous years. Elk live 20 years or more in captivity but average 10 to 13 years in
5845-718: Is connected to Africa at the Suez Canal , and the two are sometimes combined to describe the largest contiguous landmass on Earth, Afro-Eurasia . Primarily in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres , Eurasia spans from Iceland and the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Russian Far East , and from the Russian Far North to Maritime Southeast Asia in the south, but other specific geographical limits of Eurasia states that
6012-746: Is considered a supercontinent , part of the supercontinent of Afro-Eurasia or simply a continent in its own right. In plate tectonics , the Eurasian Plate includes Europe and most of Asia but not the Indian subcontinent, the Arabian Peninsula or the area of the Russian Far East east of the Chersky Range . From the point of view of history and culture, Eurasia can be loosely subdivided into Western Eurasia and Eastern Eurasia . In geology, Eurasia
6179-465: Is disputed, since Mount Elbrus would be part of Europe in the latter case, making it (and not Mont Blanc ) Europe's highest mountain. Most accepted is probably the boundary as defined by Philip Johan von Strahlenberg in the 18th century. He defined the dividing line along the Aegean Sea , Dardanelles , Sea of Marmara , Bosporus , Black Sea , Kuma–Manych Depression , Caspian Sea , Ural River , and
6346-491: 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
6513-527: 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
6680-442: Is often considered as a single rigid megablock, but this is debated. Eurasia formed between 375 and 325 million years ago with the merging of Siberia , Kazakhstania , and Baltica , which was joined to Laurentia (now North America), to form Euramerica . This is a list of the longest rivers in Eurasia. Included are all rivers over 3,000 km (1,900 mi). All of the 100 highest mountains on Earth are in Eurasia, in
6847-515: Is often used in Kazakhstan to describe its location. Numerous Kazakh institutions have the term in their names, like the L. N. Gumilev Eurasian National University ( Kazakh : Л. Н. Гумилёв атындағы Еуразия Ұлттық университеті ; Евразийский Национальный университет имени Л. Н. Гумилёва ) ( Lev Gumilev 's Eurasianism ideas having been popularized in Kazakhstan by Olzhas Suleimenov ),
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7014-483: Is recognized as the largest of the six, five, or four continents on Earth. Eurasia covers around 55 million square kilometres (21 million square miles), or around 36.2% of the Earth's total land area. The landmass contains well over 5 billion people, equating to approximately 70% of the human population . Humans first settled in Eurasia from Africa 125,000 years ago. Eurasia contains many peninsulas, including
7181-448: 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
7348-482: Is the official state animal for Utah . An image of an elk and a moose appear on the state seal and flag of Michigan. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (B.P.O.E.) chose the elk as its namesake because a number of its attributes seemed appropriate for cultivation by members of the fraternity. Jewel-encrusted, gold-mounted elk teeth are prized possessions of many members of the B.P.O.E. Although breakdown figures for each game species are not available in
7515-440: Is the largest continental area on Earth, comprising all of Europe and Asia . According to some geographers, physiographically , Eurasia is a single supercontinent . The concepts of Europe and Asia as distinct continents date back to antiquity , but their borders have historically been subject to change. For example, to the ancient Greeks , Asia originally included Africa but they classified Europe as separate land. Eurasia
7682-487: Is the second largest species within the deer family, Cervidae , and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia . The word "elk" originally referred to the European variety of the moose , Alces alces , but was transferred to Cervus canadensis by North American colonists. The name "wapiti" is derived from a Shawnee and Cree word meaning "white rump", after
7849-667: Is typically characterized by a diverse community of bacteria specialized in breaking down complex plant fibers and cellulose , whereas the supplementally fed gut microbiome may have less fiber-digesting bacteria. Therefore, transitioning from natural foraging to concentrated alfalfa pellets can cause changes in the gut microbiome that might affect the elk's ability to efficiently digest their natural diet or could potentially lead to imbalances that affect overall health. Predators of elk include wolves , coyotes , brown and black bears , cougars , and Siberian tigers . Coyote packs mostly prey on elk calves, though they can sometimes take
8016-446: 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
8183-418: 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
8350-429: 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
8517-635: The Oxford English Dictionary , the etymology of the word "elk" is "of obscure history". In Classical Antiquity , the European Alces alces was known as Ancient Greek : ἄλκη , romanized : álkē and Latin : alces , words probably borrowed from a Germanic language or another language of northern Europe. By the 8th century, during the Early Middle Ages , the moose was known as Old English : elch, elh, eolh, derived from
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#17328456577378684-951: The Alps , the Arctic, the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, a definition that has been influential in Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union. Nowadays, partly inspired by this usage, the term Eurasia is sometimes used to refer to the post-Soviet space – in particular Russia, the Central Asian republics, and the Transcaucasus republics – and sometimes also adjacent regions such as Turkey and Mongolia . The word "Eurasia"
8851-618: The Arabian Peninsula , Korean Peninsula , Indian subcontinent , Anatolia Peninsula , Kamchatka Peninsula , and Europe, which itself contains peninsulas such as the Italian or Iberian Peninsula. Due to its vast size and differences in latitude , Eurasia exhibits all types of climates under the Köppen classification , including the harshest types of hot and cold temperatures, high and low precipitation, and various types of ecosystems . Eurasia
9018-609: 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
9185-957: 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. Eurasia Eurasia ( / j ʊəˈr eɪ ʒ ə / yoor- AY -zhə , also UK : /- ʃ ə / -shə )
9352-514: 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
9519-585: The Fiordland National Park . In 1949 the New Zealand American Fiordland Expedition was undertaken to study the descendants of this release. There is significant hybridization of elk with red deer. These deer have had an adverse impact on forest regeneration of some plant species, as they consume more palatable species, which are replaced with those that are less favored by the elk. The long-term impact will be an alteration of
9686-639: The Greeks classified Europe (derived from the mythological Phoenician princess Europa ) and Asia which to the Greeks originally included Africa (derived from Asia , a woman in Greek mythology ) as separate "lands". Where to draw the dividing line between the two regions is still a matter of discussion . Especially whether the Kuma-Manych Depression or the Caucasus Mountains form the southeast boundary
9853-755: The Himalaya , Karakoram , Hindu Kush , Pamir , Hengduan , and Tian Shan mountain ranges, and all peaks above 7,000 metres are in these ranges and the Transhimalaya . Other high ranges include the Kunlun , Hindu Raj , and Caucasus Mountains . The Alpide belt stretches 15,000 km across southern Eurasia, from Java in Maritime Southeast Asia to the Iberian Peninsula in Western Europe , including
10020-675: The Korean Peninsula and Siberia are the Manchurian wapiti ( C. c. xanthopygus ) and the Alashan wapiti ( C. c. alashanicus ). The Manchurian subspecies is darker, and more reddish, in coloration than other populations. The Alashan wapiti of northern Central China is the smallest of all the subspecies, has the lightest coloration, and is one of the least-studied. Recent DNA analyses suggest that there are no more than three or four total subspecies of elk. All American forms, aside from possibly
10187-576: The Late Pleistocene , surviving into the early Holocene in Southern Sweden and the Alps . The now-extinct North American Merriam's elk subspecies ( Cervus canadensis merriami ) once ranged south into Mexico . The wapiti has also successfully adapted to countries outside of its natural range where it has been introduced, including Argentina and New Zealand ; the animal's adaptability in these areas may, in fact, be so successful as to threaten
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#173284565773710354-460: 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
10521-531: The National Elk Refuge , having migrated south from the southern portions of Yellowstone National Park and west from the Shoshone and Bridger–Teton National Forests . Elk are ruminants and therefore have four-chambered stomachs. Unlike white-tailed deer and moose, which are chiefly browsers, elk are similar to cattle in that they are primarily grazers . But like other deer, they also browse . Elk have
10688-873: 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 . Noting that elk "is not the normal phonetic representative" of the Old English elch , the Oxford English Dictionary derives elk from Middle High German : elch , itself from Old High German : elaho . The American Cervus canadensis
10855-729: The Roosevelt ( C. canadensis roosevelti ), Tule ( C. c. nannodes ), Manitoban ( C. c. manitobensis ) and Rocky Mountain elk ( C. c. nelsoni ). The eastern elk ( C. c. canadensis ) and Merriam's elk ( C. c. merriami ) subspecies have been extinct for at least a century. Four subspecies described from the Asian continent include the Altai wapiti ( C. c. sibiricus ) and the Tianshan wapiti ( C. c. songaricus ). Two distinct subspecies found in China, Mongolia ,
11022-538: The Soviet Union ) then dominated much of the continent until the end of the Cold War in 1991. Originally, "Eurasia" is a geographical notion: in this sense, it is simply the biggest continent; the combined landmass of Europe and Asia. However, geopolitically, the word has several meanings, reflecting specific geopolitical interests. "Eurasia" is one of the most important geopolitical concepts and it figures prominently in
11189-617: The Ural Mountains . However, at least part of this definition has been subject to criticism by many modern analytical geographers like Halford Mackinder , who saw little validity in the Ural Mountains as a boundary between continents. Nineteenth-century Russian philosopher Nikolai Danilevsky defined Eurasia as an entity separate from Europe and Asia, bounded by the Himalayas, the Caucasus,
11356-572: The heterogeneous dispositif such metapolitical constructs used to control and exercise power. Across Eurasia, several single markets have emerged, including the Eurasian Economic Space , European Single Market , ASEAN Economic Community , and the Gulf Cooperation Council . There are also several international organizations and initiatives which seek to promote integration throughout Eurasia, including: In ancient times,
11523-441: The mating season , including posturing to attract females, antler-wrestling (sparring), and bugling , a loud series of throaty whistles, bellows, screams, and other vocalizations that establish dominance over other males and aim to attract females. Elk were long believed to belong to a subspecies of the European red deer ( Cervus elaphus ), but evidence from many mitochondrial DNA genetic studies, beginning in 1998, shows that
11690-577: 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
11857-512: 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
12024-471: The 2006 National Survey from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, hunting of wild elk is most likely the primary economic impact. While elk are not generally harvested for meat production on a large scale, some restaurants offer the meat as a specialty item and it is also available in some grocery stores. The meat has a taste somewhere between beef and venison and is higher in protein and lower in fat and cholesterol than beef, pork, and chicken. Elk meat
12191-488: 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
12358-738: The Americas (e.g., Council on Hemispheric Affairs , Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation ). [REDACTED] Africa [REDACTED] Antarctica [REDACTED] Asia [REDACTED] Australia [REDACTED] Europe [REDACTED] North America [REDACTED] South America [REDACTED] Afro-Eurasia [REDACTED] Americas [REDACTED] Eurasia [REDACTED] Oceania 50°N 80°E / 50°N 80°E / 50; 80 Wapiti Various Cervus elaphus subspecies The elk ( pl. : elk or elks ; Cervus canadensis ), or wapiti ,
12525-789: 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
12692-787: The Eurasian Media Forum, the Eurasian Cultural Foundation ( Евразийский фонд культуры ), the Eurasian Development Bank ( Евразийский банк развития ), and the Eurasian Bank. In 2007 Kazakhstan's president, Nursultan Nazarbayev , proposed building a " Eurasia Canal " to connect the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea via Russia's Kuma-Manych Depression to provide Kazakhstan and other Caspian-basin countries with
12859-705: The Tule and the Roosevelt's elk, seem to belong to one subspecies— Cervus c. canadensis ; even the Siberian elk ( C. c. sibiricus ) is, more or less, physically identical to the American forms, and thus may belong to this subspecies, too. However, the Manchurian wapiti ( C. c. xanthopygus ) is clearly distinct from the Siberian forms, but not distinguishable from the Alashan wapiti. Still, due to
13026-667: The U.S. where the disease is still known to exist, though this can extend out to the Bighorn Mountains . In domesticated cattle, brucellosis causes infertility, abortions, and reduced milk production. It is transmitted to humans as undulant fever , producing influenza -like symptoms that may last for years. Though bison are more likely to transmit the disease to other animals, elk inadvertently transmitted brucellosis to horses in Wyoming and cattle in Idaho . Researchers are attempting to eradicate
13193-591: The US. Elk were reintroduced in Michigan in 1918 after going extinct there in 1875. The Rocky Mountain elk subspecies was reintroduced by hunter-conservation organizations into the Appalachian region of the U.S. where the now extinct eastern elk once lived. They were reintroduced to Pennsylvania beginning in 1913 and throughout the mid-20th Century, and now remain at a stable population of approximately 1,400 individuals. Since
13360-473: The Western Hemisphere and Oceania geopolitically peripheral to the world's central continent. About 75 per cent of the world's people live in 'Eurasia', and most of the world's physical wealth is there as well, both in its enterprises and underneath its soil. 'Eurasia' accounts for about three-fourths of the world's known energy resources." The Russian " Eurasianism " corresponded initially more or less to
13527-793: 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
13694-420: 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
13861-555: 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
14028-613: 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
14195-432: The big bull to avoid harassment. Dominant bulls are intolerant of spike bulls and will chase them away from their harems. The gestation period is eight to nine months and the offspring weigh around 16 kilograms (35 lb). When the females are near to giving birth, they tend to isolate themselves from the main herd, and will remain isolated until the calf is large enough to escape predators. Calves are born spotted, as
14362-406: The bull will copiously lick the female and then mount her. Younger, less dominant bulls, known as "spike bulls" because their antlers have not yet forked, will harass unguarded cows. These bulls are impatient and will not perform any courtship rituals and will continue to pursue a female even when she signals him to stop. As such, they are less reproductively successful, and a cow may stay close to
14529-407: The commentaries on the ideas of Halford Mackinder . As Zbigniew Brzezinski observed on Eurasia: "... how America 'manages' Eurasia is critical. A power that dominates 'Eurasia' would control two of the world's three most advanced and economically productive regions. A mere glance at the map also suggests that control over 'Eurasia' would almost automatically entail Africa's subordination, rendering
14696-612: 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,
14863-808: The compromising situation of being in an open area with its head down, leaving it unable to see what is going on in the surrounding area. Living in groups also lessens the risk of an individual falling to predation. Large bull elk are less vulnerable and can afford to wander alone, while cows stay in larger groups for protection for their calves. Bulls are more vulnerable to predation by wolves in late winter, after they have been weakened by months of chasing females and fighting. Males that have recently lost their antlers are more likely to be preyed upon. At least 53 species of protist and animal parasites have been identified in elk. Most of these parasites seldom lead to significant mortality among wild or captive elk. Parelaphostrongylus tenuis (brainworm or meningeal worm)
15030-695: 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
15197-625: 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 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
15364-472: The disease leads to death. No risks to humans have been documented, nor has the disease been demonstrated to pose a threat to domesticated cattle. In 2002, South Korea banned the importation of elk antler velvet due to concerns about chronic wasting disease. The Gram-negative bacterial disease brucellosis occasionally affects elk in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, the only place in
15531-551: The disease through vaccinations and herd-management measures, which are expected to be successful. Nevertheless, research has been ongoing since 2002, and a successful vaccine has yet to be developed as of 2016 . A recent necropsy study of captive elk in Pennsylvania attributed the cause of death in 33 of 65 cases to either gastrointestinal parasites (21 cases, primarily Eimeria sp. and Ostertagia sp.) or bacterial infections (12 cases, mostly pneumonia ). Elk hoof disease
15698-693: The distinctive light fur around the tail region which the animals may fluff-up or raise to signal their agitation or distress to one another, when fleeing perceived threats, or among males courting females and sparring for dominance. A similar trait is seen in other artiodactyl species, like the bighorn sheep , pronghorn and the white-tailed deer , to varying degrees. Elk dwell in open forest and forest-edge habitats, grazing on grasses and sedges and browsing higher-growing plants, leaves, twigs and bark. Male elk have large, blood- and nerve-filled antlers , which they routinely shed each year as weather warms-up. Males also engage in ritualized mating behaviors during
15865-474: The early Holocene of central Alaska, where it was the main hunted animal along with bison , and survived in Yukon until around 1400 BP (550 AD). As of 2014, population figures for all North American elk subspecies were around one million. Prior to the European colonization of North America, there were an estimated 10 million on the continent. There are many past and ongoing examples of reintroduction into areas of
16032-574: The elk) first appear in the fossil record 25 million years ago, during the Oligocene in Eurasia , but do not appear in the North American fossil record until the early Miocene . The extinct Irish elk ( Megaloceros ) was not a member of the genus Cervus but rather the largest member of the wider deer family (Cervidae) known from the fossil record. Until recently, red deer and elk were considered to be one species, Cervus elaphus , with over
16199-419: The forest-adapted European red deer . Elk are among the most gregarious deer species. During the summer group size can reach 400 individuals. For most of the year, adult males and females are segregated into different herds. Female herds are larger while bulls form small groups and may even travel alone. Young bulls may associate with older bulls or female groups. Male and female herds come together during
16366-435: The greater availability of food to eat. Elk do not appear to benefit from thermal cover. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem elk herds comprise as many as 40,000 individuals. During the spring and fall, they take part in the longest elk migration in the continental U.S., traveling as much as 168 mi (270 km) between summer and winter ranges. The Teton herd consists of between 9,000 and 13,000 elk and they spend winters on
16533-479: The ground called wallows, in which they urinate and roll their bodies . A male elk's urethra points upward so that urine is sprayed almost at a right angle to the penis. The urine soaks into their hair and gives them a distinct smell which attracts cows. A bull interacts with cows in his harem in two ways: herding and courtship. When a female wanders too far away from the harem's range, the male will rush ahead of her, block her path and aggressively rush her back to
16700-455: 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
16867-532: The harem. Herding behavior is accompanied by a stretched out and lowered neck and the antlers laid back. A bull may get violent and hit the cow with his antlers. During courtship, the bull is more peaceful and approaches her with his head and antlers raised. The male signals his intention to test the female for sexual receptivity by flicking his tongue. If not ready, a cow will lower her head and weave from side to side while opening and closing her mouth. The bull will stop in response in order not to scare her. Otherwise,
17034-484: 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
17201-467: The head, neck, and legs during the summer. Forest-adapted Manchurian and Alashan wapitis have red or reddish-brown coats with less contrast between the body coat and the rest of the body during the summer months. Calves are born spotted, as is common with many deer species, and lose them by the end of summer. Adult Manchurian wapiti may retain a few orange spots on the back of their summer coats until they are older. This characteristic has also been observed in
17368-567: The heavy winter coat has been shed. Elk are known to rub against trees and other objects to help remove hair from their bodies. All elk have small and clearly defined rump patches with short tails. They have different coloration based on the seasons and types of habitats, with gray or lighter coloration prevalent in the winter and a more reddish, darker coat in the summer. Subspecies living in arid climates tend to have lighter colored coats than do those living in forests. Most have lighter yellow-brown to orange-brown coats in contrast to dark brown hair on
17535-521: The indigenous Chilean huemul and other herbivores. This negative impact on native animal species has led the IUCN to identify the elk as one of the world's 100 worst invaders. The introduction of deer to New Zealand began in the middle of the 19th century, and current populations are primarily European red deer, with only 15 percent being elk. In 1905 18 American wapiti were released in George Sound in
17702-542: The insufficient genetic material that rejects monophyly of C. canadensis , some researchers consider it premature to include the Manchurian wapiti as a true subspecies of wapiti, and that it likely needs to be elevated to its own species, C. xanthopygus . The Chinese forms (the Sichuan deer , Kansu red deer , and Tibetan red deer ) also belong to the wapiti, and were not distinguishable from each other by mitochondrial DNA studies. These Chinese subspecies are sometimes treated as
17869-454: The land area of Imperial Russia in 1914, including parts of Eastern Europe . One of Russia's main geopolitical interests lies in ever closer integration with those countries that it considers part of "Eurasia." The term Eurasia gained geopolitical reputation as one of the three superstates in 1984 , George Orwell 's novel where constant surveillance and propaganda are strategic elements (introduced as reflexive antagonists ) of
18036-404: 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
18203-552: The largest antlers while the Altai wapiti has the smallest. Roosevelt bull antlers can weigh 18 kg (40 lb). The formation and retention of antlers are testosterone -driven. In late winter and early spring, the testosterone level drops, which causes the antlers to shed. During the fall, elk grow a thicker coat of hair, which helps to insulate them during the winter. Both male and female North American elk grow thin neck manes; females of other subspecies may not. By early summer,
18370-485: 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
18537-648: The late 1990s, they were reintroduced and recolonized in the states of Wisconsin , Kentucky , North Carolina , Tennessee , Georgia , Virginia and West Virginia . In the state of Kentucky, the elk population in 2022 had increased to over 15,000 animals. In 2016, a male elk, likely from the Smoky Mountains population, was sighted in South Carolina for the first time in nearly 300 years. Once locally extinct, dispersing elk are now regularly spotted in Iowa , although
18704-636: The least-densely populated. Eurasia has been the host of many ancient civilizations, including those based in Mesopotamia , the Indus Valley and China. In the Axial Age (mid- first millennium BCE ), a continuous belt of civilizations stretched through the Eurasian subtropical zone from the Atlantic to the Pacific. This belt became the mainstream of world history for two millennia. New connections emerged between
18871-439: 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
19038-412: The mating season, which may begin in late August. Males try to intimidate rivals by vocalizing and displaying with their antlers. If neither bull backs down, they engage in antler wrestling, sometimes sustaining serious injuries. Bulls have a loud, high-pitched, whistle-like vocalization known as bugling , which advertise the male's fitness over great distances. Unusual for a vocalization produced by
19205-642: 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,
19372-546: The meaning of the word "elk" to English-speakers became rather vague, acquiring a meaning similar to "large deer". The name wapiti is from the Shawnee and Cree word waapiti (in Cree syllabics : ᐙᐱᑎ or ᐚᐱᑎ ), meaning "white rump". There is a subspecies of wapiti in Mongolia called the Altai wapiti ( Cervus canadensis sibiricus ), also known as the Altai maral. According to
19539-470: 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
19706-435: 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
19873-831: 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
20040-581: 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
20207-499: 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, 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
20374-707: 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 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
20541-527: 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
20708-410: 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
20875-607: 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
21042-462: 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
21209-532: 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
21376-448: 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
21543-638: 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
21710-534: 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
21877-514: The production of ground antler and velvet supplements is also a thriving naturopathic industry in several countries, including the United States, China and Canada . The elk is hunted as a game species, and their meat is leaner, and higher in protein , than beef or chicken . By the 17th century, Alces alces (moose, called "elk" in Europe) had long been extirpated from the British Isles , and
22044-584: The ranges of the Himalayas, Karakoram, Hindu Kush, Alborz , Caucasus, and the Alps . Long ranges outside the Alpide Belt include the East Siberian , Altai , Scandinavian , Qinling , Western Ghats , Vindhya , Byrranga , and Annamite Ranges . The largest Eurasian islands by area are Borneo , Sumatra , Honshu , Great Britain, Sulawesi , Java, Luzon , Iceland, Mindanao , Ireland , Hokkaido , Sakhalin , and Sri Lanka . The five most-populated islands in
22211-464: 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 ),
22378-421: 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
22545-476: The same species (adapted to local environments through minor changes in appearance and behavior). Populations vary in antler shape and size, body size, coloration and mating behavior. DNA investigations of the Eurasian subspecies revealed that phenotypic variation in antlers, mane and rump patch development are based on "climatic-related lifestyle factors". Of the six subspecies of elk known to have inhabited North America in historical times, four remain, including
22712-500: 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
22879-616: The sensitive endemic ecosystems and species it encounters. As a member of the Artiodactyla order (and distant relative of the Bovidae ), elk are susceptible to several infectious diseases which can be transmitted to and/or from domesticated livestock . Efforts to eliminate infectious diseases from elk populations, primarily by vaccination , have had mixed success. Some cultures revere the elk as having spiritual significance. Antlers and velvet are used in traditional medicines in parts of Asia;
23046-620: 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
23213-414: 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
23380-399: 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
23547-408: 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;
23714-509: 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
23881-541: 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
24048-678: The southern limit is in the Weber's line . Eurasia is bordered by Africa to the southwest, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Pacific Ocean to the east, and the Indo-Mediterranean to the south. The division between Europe and Asia as two continents is a historical social construct , as neither fits the usual definition; thus, in some parts of the world, Eurasia
24215-578: 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
24382-493: The species "red deer", but noted in parentheses that they were "for their unusual largeness improperly termed Elks by ignorant people". Both Thomas Jefferson 's 1785 Notes on the State of Virginia and David Bailie Warden 's 1816 Statistical, Political, and Historical Account of the United States used "red deer" to refer to Cervus canadensis . Members of the genus Cervus (and hence early relatives or possible ancestors of
24549-564: The species as least-concern species . The habitat of Siberian elk in Asia is similar to that of the Rocky Mountain subspecies in North America. During the Late Pleistocene their range was much more extensive, being distributed across Eurasia, with remains being found as far west as France. These populations are most closely related to modern Asian populations of the elk. Their range collapsed at
24716-526: 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
24883-424: The spring, elk have had some impact on aspen groves which have been declining in some regions where elk exist. Range and wildlife managers conduct surveys of elk pellet groups to monitor populations and resource use. Research in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem has found that supplemental feeding of concentrated alfalfa pellets leads to significant alterations in the elks' microbiome . The elk gut microbiome
25050-499: The start of the Holocene, possibly because they were specialized to cold periglacial tundra-steppe habitat. When this environment was replaced largely by closed forest the red deer might have outcompeted the elk. Relictual populations survived into the early Holocene (until around 3000 years ago) in southern Sweden and the Alps, where the environment remained favorable. Elk were also present in
25217-536: 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,
25384-508: The subregions of Eurasia from the Age of Discovery onwards, with the Iberians discovering new maritime routes in the 1490s, and the 1869 completion of the Suez Canal having paved the way for direct passage through the Indo-Mediterranean and the wave of Western European "New Imperialism" that dominated Africa and Asia until the mid-20th century. The communist presence in Eurasia (primarily driven by
25551-590: 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
25718-825: The subspecies is the Roosevelt elk ( C. c. roosevelti ), found west of the Cascade Range in the U.S. states of California , Oregon and Washington , and in the Canadian province of British Columbia . Roosevelt elk have been introduced into Alaska , where the largest males are estimated to weigh up to 600 kg (1,300 lb). More typically, male Roosevelt elk weigh around 318 to 499 kg (701 to 1,100 lb), while females weigh 261 to 283 kg (575 to 624 lb). Male tule elk weigh 204–318 kg (450–701 lb) while females weigh 170–191 kg (375–421 lb). The whole weights of adult male Manitoban elk range from 288 to 478 kilograms (635 to 1,054 lb). Females have
25885-399: The two are distinct species . The elk's wider rump-patch and paler-hued antlers are key morphological differences that distinguish C. canadensis from C. elaphus . Although it is currently only native to North America, Central , East and North Asia , elk once had a much wider distribution in the past; prehistoric populations were present across Eurasia and into Western Europe during
26052-562: The two species have freely inter-bred in New Zealand 's Fiordland National Park . The cross-bred animals have resulted in the disappearance of virtually all pure elk blood from the area. Key morphological differences that distinguish C. canadensis from C. elaphus are the former's wider rump patch and paler-hued antlers. There are numerous subspecies of elk described, with six from North America and four from Asia, although some taxonomists consider them different ecotypes or races of
26219-551: The types of plants and trees found, and in other animal and plant species dependent upon them. As in Chile and Argentina, the IUCN has declared that red deer and elk populations in New Zealand are an invasive species. Elk have played an important role in the cultural history of a number of peoples. Neolithic petroglyphs from Asia depict antler-less female elk, which have been interpreted as symbolizing life and sustenance. They were also frequently overlaid with boats and associated with rivers, suggesting they also represented paths to
26386-418: 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
26553-487: The underworld. Petroglyphs of elk were carved into cliffs by the Ancestral Puebloans of the southwestern U.S. hundreds of years ago. The elk was of particular importance to the Lakota and played a spiritual role in their society. The male elk was admired for its ability to attract mates, and Lakota men will play a courting flute imitating a bugling elk to attract women. Men used elks' antlers as love charms and wore clothes decorated with elk images. The Rocky Mountain elk
26720-526: 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
26887-444: 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,
27054-415: The wild. In some subspecies that suffer less predation, they may live an average of 15 years in the wild. As is true for many species of deer, especially those in mountainous regions, elk migrate into areas of higher altitude in the spring, following the retreating snows, and the opposite direction in the fall. Hunting pressure impacts migration and movement. During the winter, they favor wooded areas for
27221-409: 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
27388-405: 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
27555-526: The world are Java, Honshu, Great Britain, Luzon, and Sumatra. Other Eurasian islands with large populations include Mindanao, Taiwan , Salsette , Borneo, Sri Lanka, Sulawesi, Kyushu , and Hainan . The most densely-populated islands in Eurasia are Caubian Gamay Island , Ap Lei Chau , and Navotas Island . In the Arctic Ocean, Severny Island , Nordaustlandet , October Revolution Island , and Bolshevik Island are Eurasia's largest uninhabited islands, and Kotelny Island , Alexandra Land , and Spitsbergen are
27722-532: Was first noticed in the state of Washington in the late 1990s in the Cowlitz River basin, with sporadic reports of deformed hooves. Since then, the disease has spread rapidly with increased sightings throughout southwest Washington and into Oregon. The disease is characterised by deformed, broken, or missing hooves and leads to severe lameness in elk. The primary cause is not known, but it is associated with treponeme bacteria, which are known to cause digital dermatitis in commercial livestock. The mode of transmission
27889-473: Was recognized as a relative of the red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) of Europe, and so Cervus canadensis were referred to as "red deer". Richard Hakluyt refers to North America as a "lande ... full of many beastes, as redd dere" in his 1584 Discourse Concerning Western Planting . Similarly, John Smith 's 1616 A Description of New England referred to red deer. Sir William Talbot 's 1672 English translation of John Lederer 's Latin Discoveries likewise called
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