Moose | Facts & Information

# Moose | Facts & Information

Moose | Discover Fascinating Facts and Information About Moose

An adult male of the European subspecies can reach a height of 2 meters at the shoulder, as well as a weight sometimes exceeding 500 kg. Moose was known and hunted by our ancestors. The Romans called it plotun, a name that disappeared with the impressive herbivore. Linguistic, historical and toponymic evidence about plotun abounds in Romanian folklore and civilization. It is enough to mention here The Ballad"Voda capitan Matei".

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Moose

Moose

The Moose, also known as the Elk, is an emblematic animal of the northern regions. This extraordinary creature fascinates with its size, unique behavior, and perfect adaptation to its surroundings. Moose is the largest member of the deer family, and its story is one full of interest and mystery.

The Moose (Alces alces) is a herbivorous mammal species that can be found throughout the northern hemisphere, in the forested regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. With a shoulder height of up to 2 meters and a weight of up to 700 kilograms, the moose is definitely one of the largest terrestrial animals in the world.

With its immense and distinctive antlers, the moose is easily recognizable. These antlers can grow up to 1.8 meters and are used by males in battles for dominance and to attract females during the breeding season. The antlers are actually bony extensions of the jaw that regenerate every year. Although male moose have antlers, females are without them, making them easy to distinguish.

Moose are specialized in feeding on plants, especially climbers and aquatic herbs. To meet their nutritional needs, moose can consume impressive amounts of food in a single day. Among all mammal species, moose has the fastest growth during the first few years of life, reaching maturity at the age of 5. However, the lifespan of a moose is generally around 15-20 years.

Although moose have a reputation for being peaceful animals, during the breeding season, males confront their rivals in spectacular fights to win the right to mate. These impressive battles involve many factors, such as body size and strength, and, of course, the immense antlers. Males use their antlers to confront each other in a ritual aimed at establishing dominance over rivals.

Moose live in social groups called herds, mainly composed of females and their calves. Males live outside the herds and only join the group during the breeding season. Females can give birth to one calf per year, and the shelter for them is always hidden in dense vegetation to provide protection. Moose calves are endowed with strong maternal care and are guided by their mothers in the first months of life.

The moose is a remarkable example of adaptation to the Nordic climate and forest environments. These giants have long, thin legs adapted for moving in marshy and densely vegetated areas. In addition, their thick and dense fur and subcutaneous fat provide efficient protection against the extremely low temperatures associated with northern regions.

However, moose also face numerous threats in their natural environment. One of the biggest dangers at present is habitat loss. Massive deforestation and urbanization have led to the destruction of many forests, affecting the moose's habitat. In addition, illegal hunting and climate change pose other factors endangering the survival of this magnificent animal.

In conclusion, the moose is a fascinating and impressive animal that lives in the northern environments of the world. This magnificent creature easily adapts to harsh and extreme conditions, displaying remarkable behavior and anatomical design. It is essential to raise awareness about the importance of protecting its habitat and strive to prevent its degradation. Moose deserve to live in the wilderness and continue to fascinate and delight people with their natural splendor.

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The idea that the elk (Alces Alces alces) that we usually associate with the endless expanses of Forest in Siberia and Alaska, lived with us, seems at least fanciful. The truth is quite different. Elk is the largest representative of deer.

"Hunting the shaggy bison,

Towering, branchy deer,

And plotunii lopatosi...".

The work Geografia au universal description of the Earth written between 1593-1594 by Giovanni Antonio Magini, includes a detailed description of the Roman countries, showing that Transylvania has large forests and endless forests, where they live between other animals, and elk. The illustrious Moldovan ruler Dimitrie Cantemir refers in Descriptio Moldaviae to the plotuns that appeared in winter on the banks of the Nistru River, probably coming from Poland.

After 1800 no one mentions plotun in the fauna of the Romanian countries, considering it extinct. In the twentieth century, however, the plot reappears sporadically in Romania. Thus the first resigned plotun on Romanian soil was a male photographed in 1964 on the Letea River in the Danube Delta. Scanteia newspaper of January 14, 1970 announces the appearance of a plotun in the Frasinul forest in Suceava County.

In the Husi forest detour appears a couple of Elk. In November 1971, a female and her cub are reported in Borcea Island. Another specimen was shot in the same year in Neamt County. In 1977, a pair is observed in Botosani County. The year 1978 brings a case of poaching by which the last plotun in Romania is killed . The ecological crime was committed in the Yellow hunting fund, located at the northern border between Vrancea and Bacau counties.

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