Average weight of an elk. Description of the moose, dimensions, period of life, habitat and reproduction. The largest elk How much does an adult elk weigh

- the largest type of game. Height at the shoulders 240 cm, weight 570 kg (record 655 kg). The male carries horns more than one and a half meters in scope and weighing up to 20 kg. By autumn, the baby elk, Born in the summer, reaches a weight of a centner.

The largest animals inhabit Eastern Siberia. In the European part of the USSR, moose of medium size live, the south of the Far East is inhabited by even smaller ones, although the average weight of the bulls of these moose is more than 200 kg, and the maximum is 400 kg. Far Eastern moose are distinguished by the absence of a "shovel" of flat expansion on the horns. The span of their horns is no more than a meter, and the weight is only 5 - 6 kg. The history of the distribution of the moose is amazing: the area of ​​\u200b\u200bhabitat, as it were, “breathes”, then the borders are rapidly (of course, on the scale of history) leaving - the south to the north, the north to the south, and the range of the animal narrows sharply; then also quickly the boundaries of the habitat of the species are expanding, and again there are a lot of moose.

To explain the fluctuations in the number of moose, one usually speaks of increased persecution by humans. But moose became less and where no one pursued them. There are absolutely correct indications that there are more moose after intensive deforestation, when animals receive a lot of fresh food from growing young. But there were cases in the history of the species when there were more clearings, and fewer moose. The answer lies in the fact that fluctuations in the number of moose are influenced not by any one factor, but by many, and above all purely natural - climatic, ecological and so-called population, that is, the mechanisms of internal regulation contained in the animals themselves. Of the climatic factors, snow depth and air temperature are important.

On all these mechanisms, of course, the direct influence of a person falls under heavy pressure - a change in the environment of the life of an animal, hunting, just anxiety, etc.

Now moose occupy the most extensive areas on which they have ever lived, but the total number of animals is beginning to decline. It was the highest in the late 1950s and 1960s and approached 500,000 heads, and according to some sources, even 800,000. In the 1970s, it hardly exceeded 400,000 by much.

Moose live everywhere - from the tundra to the steppes and even semi-desert, but, of course, moose do not live permanently either in the treeless tundra, or in the monotonous mountain taiga, or in the bare steppe and semi-desert; they can only come here for a while. They prefer river valleys, swampy areas, forest islands among fields, forested ravines.

In summer, moose live scattered, in winter they gather in groups, almost constantly feeding in the same places - stalls. At this time, especially in the spring, when the snow is deep, moose cover only a few hundred meters per day. But autumn transitions reach 5 - 6 km, and single males in search of females are able to travel several tens of kilometers.

The location of the stalls depends on the feeding places. In Central Russia, these are mainly young pine forests, in the north - burnt areas and clearings, in Siberia - thickets of willows or shrub birches along river banks, in the Far East - sparse coniferous forests with abundant deciduous undergrowth.

The plant food of the moose is very diverse. It eats several hundred species of plants - woody and herbaceous, almost exclusively woody in winter, and both in summer. Moose loves succulent marsh plants very much. He also eats mushrooms, sometimes with a lack of food - lichens,

Eating 10 or more kilograms of branches and needles, moose in some places severely damage forests. They pose a particularly great threat to forest plantations, to coniferous crops. This predetermines the need for constant regulation of the population density of moose during the hunting process.

Heat and midges make moose nocturnal animals, during the day driving animals into bald patches, sparse areas and clearings, where the wind blows, into lakes and swamps, where you can hide up to your neck in water, or, conversely, into dense coniferous young growths that provide little protection from insect attacks. . Moose are excellent swimmers and can dive. To do 2 - 3 km for an elk is a mere trifle. We saw how they swam across the Rybinsk reservoir - 20 km in water. Moose are very fond of visiting salt licks. Sometimes gourmet comes to them 7 - 8 times in one night.

In winter, especially in severe frosts, moose feed during the day, taking breaks from time to time to rest. At night, they almost all the time remain on the bed. In very severe frosts, animals almost do not get up at all.

The largest representative of the deer family is the elk. This is a species numbering one and a half million animals. This population has about 8 subspecies. The animal lives both in America and in Eurasia. Some scientists divide American and Eurasian artiodactyls into two separate species. In general, these large animals living in different regions differ from each other in body size and shape of horns.

Distribution and habitat

The original home of moose is North America. These are Alaska, Canada and the northern regions of the United States. In Canada, animals live in almost the entire territory, with the exception of the Arctic regions. In the USA, they inhabit the states of Minnesota, Michigan, the northern region of New England, which includes 6 states, as well as the northern regions of the state of New York. There is a beast in Pennsylvania. The largest animals live in Alaska. They hold the first place in terms of the size of the horns and body weight. The second place in these parameters is occupied by moose from Eastern Siberia.

In Europe, the mighty artiodactyl lives in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Poland, as well as in the Baltic countries. It comes across in the south of the Czech Republic, in Belarus and Ukraine. In Russia, it lives in the northern regions up to the Yenisei. From time immemorial lived in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran, but today it has been exterminated in this region. It lives in the East Siberian taiga and Mongolia. It used to inhabit China and the Korean Peninsula in large numbers. In modern times, it has become an exotic animal in the named lands.

The habitat of the elk is the taiga, as well as mixed deciduous forests located in zones with a temperate and subarctic climate. There is a beast in the forest-tundra and steppe. But he leaves the forest thicket only in summer and can move hundreds of kilometers away from it. He likes to have a lake nearby, a river with a weak current, or a swampy area. It is also necessary to have thickets of shrubs. In such places, the elk escapes from the summer heat and feeds on nutritious aquatic vegetation. In winter, it prefers wooded areas with little snow cover. If there is a lot of snow, then the animals migrate to other areas. On the day, elk (another name for elk) travels 15-17 km.

Appearance

Elk is a large animal. On average, depending on the subspecies, it is 30 cm taller than deer. The height at the withers ranges from 1.4 to 2.1 meters. The largest Alaskan subspecies reaches a height of 2.3 meters. The mass of males is 380-700 kg, females weigh 200-360 kg. Body length 2.4-3.2 meters. Tail length from 5 to 15 cm.

The horns of the elk are huge and have a spatulate shape. Their ends are crowned with teeth. In some males, the horns can grow up to 1.8 meters. On average, they have a size of 1.2-1.5 meters with a mass of 20-30 kg. Females do not have horns - this is the prerogative of only males. The elk sheds its antlers annually in November-December. In April-May, they begin to grow again. They grow within 3-5 months. This is the fastest growing organ of the artiodactyl body. It is interesting that when a male is castrated, he immediately sheds his horns, and others begin to grow in him. These new formations remain on the head of the animal until the end of days.

In its appearance, the beast is very different from deer. His neck is short and his withers are high. It forms a kind of hump. The legs are long, so in a standing position the animal cannot drink water. This artiodactyl cannot, like a giraffe, spread its legs, so it kneels or goes far into the water. The head is large. The upper lip is large, fleshy and hangs over the lower. Under the throat there is a kind of skin bag. Wool is hard. Her color is brownish black. The legs are light grey. There are albino moose. Their fur is completely white. Such animals are very clearly visible in the forest.

Reproduction and lifespan

The mating season for moose takes place in September-October. Males are polygamous, so they tend to fertilize several females. They announce their desire to the surroundings with a deaf roar. You can hear it up to a kilometer away. The stronger sex becomes very aggressive and does not tolerate rivals. Fights often take place between males. In this case, one of the participants in such a fight can be seriously injured and even die.

Pregnancy lasts 8 months. One baby is born. Twins are very rare. This significant event takes place in May-June. In newborns, the fur has a reddish tint. A few minutes after birth, the calf rises to its feet and begins to walk. Milk feeding lasts 4 months. Milk is very nutritious - fatty, high in protein. Sexual maturity occurs at two years. The young moose stays with the mother until she has a new cub. The life expectancy of an elk in the wild is 12-15 years. In captivity, the animal lives up to 25 years. The mortality rate among children is high. Only one in two survives to a year.

Behavior and nutrition

This is a herbivore. He needs 30 kg of food per day. The beast feeds on grass, moss, tree foliage, lichens, and mushrooms. He loves aquatic plants. It eats berries, young shoots and branches, does not disdain the bark of trees. Sukhaty is a frequent guest of salt licks. He loves salt and regularly licks everything in which it can be contained. The animal has excellent hearing and sense of smell. Vision is weak. The animal swims well and runs fast. On flat terrain, an elk develops a speed of 55 km / h. Lives in small groups or alone. Females walk with calves, forming small groups of 6-8 individuals.

Enemies

Man has hunted elk since ancient times. He was always attracted by the skin and meat of a large animal. Luxurious horns have also played an important role at all times. They could be hung at home and brag to friends. The beast itself almost never attacks a person first. This can happen if he gets very angry. In all other cases, the animal leaves, preferring to stay away from aggressive bipedal creatures. Today, this species is protected by law. Hunting for it is allowed only under a license and in a certain period of time.

On the territory of Russia at the end of the first decade of the XXI century, there were 730 thousand mighty artiodactyls. In Canada in 2007, 500,000 of these animals lived. In Finland in 2009, there were 115,000 moose. Norway has 120,000. In the United States (excluding Alaska), according to 2007 estimates, 50,000 animals lived. In Alaska, according to the Department of State Fish and Game, 200,000 elk live today.

In the wild, wolves and bears walk among the enemies of the artiodactyl. He especially likes grizzly moose. As for wolves, a strong young male easily copes with these gray robbers. Females also do not give offense. The elk defends itself when attacked, usually with its feet. Their blow is often fatal for a predator. Therefore, wolves are limited to young animals, as well as old and sick animals. However, this state of affairs is typical for all our smaller brothers. Youth and strength always survive. Often, an elk dies under the wheels of cars, crossing roads. True, in a similar situation, motorists themselves suffer, ignoring the rules of the road.

The majestic animal elk belongs to the class of mammals. It is one of the varieties of the deer family. The planet is inhabited by almost one and a half million individuals.

Elk antlers are his pride

Its distinctive feature from other types of deer is its horns, they are not like others. Heavy, spade-shaped, sweeping horns resemble in their appearance an arable tool - a plow. Due to this, the moose got the name - elk.

In an adult male, the span of the horns reaches 180 cm, and their weight can be about 30 kg. Every year, from November to December, moose shed their antlers, so if, while walking in the forest, you accidentally stumble upon such an attribute, do not be alarmed, the moose no longer needs these antlers; they will grow new ones. These can be taken as souvenirs.

The females have no horns.

The antlers serve as a means of protection for the moose, they use them to fend off predators, as well as in the fight against rivals.

Moose appearance

In addition to the peculiarity in the horns, the elk is the largest in the family. Its weight is over half a ton. The largest specimen was noted - a male, whose weight reached 655 kg. Elk moose are smaller than males.

He has a massive wide chest and back, the front part in the area of ​​the shoulder blades is higher, the neck is short. Large large head, wide elongated muzzle. Its upper lip is large and hangs slightly. There is a leathery outgrowth on the neck, it is also called "earring".

The elk has rather high and at the same time thin legs, and in order to drink water, the elk is forced to go deep into the water or bend down, kneeling. But thanks to such legs, the elk runs fast, speeds up to 56 km / h.

Nutrition

Moose feed on young growth of trees and shrubs, as well as grass, in addition to this, they can eat mushrooms, mosses and lichens. In winter, they eat the bark and branches of trees.

Moose do not like heat, so they feed more often at night. During the day, it chooses swampy places for feeding, next to water or well-ventilated.

Mating period and pregnancy

Moose mating occurs in autumn, September - October. During this period, the moose shows strong aggression. Males fight each other, unfortunately, sometimes fatally.

Moose is in position for about 8 months. As a result, usually one calf is born, rarely, mostly in old females, two appear.

moose

The little calf has a red color. They are able to stand on their feet within a few minutes after birth.

Moose behave like all children. They drink mother's milk, which, by the way, is very fatty - up to 13% and high in protein. They frolic and always stay close to their mother, who will always protect her baby.

Babies are interesting and funny. Watching them is a real pleasure.

Moose moose with calves form groups of 3-4 animals. Sometimes males may join such groups.

Where do moose live?

Since moose do not like heat, they are common in the northern part. They occupy forest zones, sometimes forest-steppes and the outskirts of the steppes.

In winter, moose can migrate to places with the least snow cover. They move to another place if the snow cover reaches 70 cm. Moose are very patient, hardy and strong. In the spring they return and live settled in the place.

Images of an elk have many coats of arms of cities and regions. For some, it symbolizes natural wealth, for others it shows strength and endurance. The image of an elk is found even on banknotes and stamps.

So that you can figure out which piece to order on the site and how much each costs, we suggest taking a look at the scheme for cutting an elk carcass.

Moose, like all members of the deer family, drag out a rather difficult existence. As a result, they hardly accumulate fat - they taste far from the marbled meat of spoiled cattle that we are used to. Elk is tougher than beef, so it will take longer to process and cook.

1. Neck (weighs about 70 kilograms). Moose from the cervical region is ideal for cooking soup or stewing. Also minced meat is made from it. Refers to the meat of the 2nd grade.

3. Brisket (weighs about 40 kilograms). The meat from this part is used to prepare the recently fashionable western dish pastrami. Cooking brisket of elk requires a long and slow stew. The pieces in front of and above it are usually carefully deboned and used to cook about 20 kilograms of minced meat. The brisket belongs to the meat of the 1st grade.

4.5. Ribs (weighs about 30 kilograms). After cleaning, they are suitable for cooking minced meat, they also make good soup. The ribs of young individuals can also be baked. Refers to meat 3 grades.

Due to the lack of fat, stewed or grilled elk ribs are quite tough, although they turn out tasty - therefore, some hunters and cooks prefer to clean the meat from the ribs and use it for minced meat.

6.7. Lower abdomen (about 25 kilograms). Elk from this part is used for cooking soups, stews, minced meat or flank steaks (if the elk is young). To give the meat tenderness, slow cooking over low heat is necessary. Belongs to meat of 2 grades.

8. Hind leg (weighs about 70 kilograms). The meat from the hind leg is universal - good steaks are obtained (marinate before cooking), steaks, it can be fried, stewed and even salted. It can be a little harsh, but the taste is very rich. Belongs to grade 1.

9. The lower part of the legs or shank (weighs about 9 kilograms). Used for soups, osso buco (and similar slow stew dishes), as well as for jelly. The meat is lean and firm. Belongs to the 3rd grade.

10. As well as in cows, elk are least likely to use (and therefore are the softest and most tender) back muscles, especially closer to the hind legs. This selected meat is called tenderloin - usually it is not boiled, but fried or stewed.

The middle part of the back (weighs about 30 kilograms). From it you can cook delicious tee-bone steaks and porterhouse. The meat is very tender. Heat up the grill! Belongs to grade 1.

The lumbar part of the back (weighs about 25 kilograms). It is used for cooking selected sirloin steaks. The meat here is lean, but soft. Some people like to boil and stew it. Belongs to grade 1.

Separately it is worth mentioning the organs of the moose eaten:

Language. A real delicacy that is suitable for preparing many dishes. Or you can just boil them, put them on bread and butter and eat them in the form of ordinary sandwiches - it's very tasty!

Heart, liver and kidneys. Most hunters love them. Eating a fried heart with the liver of a defeated elk is a kind of tradition for them.

Testicles. Just remove the skin from the testicles and you will get two pieces of soft white meat. The size depends on the age of the animal. Cooking is simple: you need to cut each across, roll in flour and fry.

Different scientists distinguish from 4 to 8 subspecies of moose, which differ in the structure of the horns and size. But among them, only one variety is particularly impressive in size. So where does the biggest moose live?

Main characteristics

The largest moose in the world live in the northern and central regions of the Kamchatka Peninsula. The population of these animals in Kamchatka is a unique phenomenon, since people brought them here on purpose in the early 1980s. from the Anadyr basin. The new habitat turned out to be very favorable, thanks to:

• abundance and variety of food, including in winter, which contributes to faster saturation and, possibly, as a result, "gigantism";
• more favorable mild climate, which is good for animals in terms of maintaining energy potential.

Some scientists associate the impressive size of the Kamchatka elk with eating giant umbrella plants growing in Kamchatka, which contain substances that provoke increased production of growth hormone.

In appearance, the Kamchatka elk is similar to its relative from Alaska, and scientists have also managed to confirm their family ties at the genetic level (they have 7 dozen pairs of identical chromosomes). But according to the latest data, it is the Kamchatka representative that is the largest elk in the world. The weight of males reaches 800 kg, body length - 346 cm, and height at the withers - 239 cm. Females are much smaller - their weight does not exceed 400 kg.

In addition to Kamchatka, this species also inhabits the basins of Anadyr, Upper and Middle Kolyma, Penzhina and Indigirka. In this regard, it is sometimes called Kolyma, Penzhin, Chukchi.

The main pride of the elk

Males have the largest horns of any mammal. They are also the fastest growing tissues among mammals, with a daily growth rate of 30 cm. Moreover, each male has a unique shape of the horn bone, and it is almost impossible to meet two individuals with the same horns. They are presented in the form of wide shovels with numerous processes (up to 18 processes), the average weight of the antlers of Kamchatka moose ranges from 29-33 kg, but in some individuals they reach 40 kg. The shape of the horns, which resembles a plow, animals owe another name - elk.

It is this pride that is the main prey for hunters, a symbol of their luck and dexterity. Foreign hunters often pay attention not so much to weight as to the size of the span. In Kamchatka elk, these values ​​range from 153-165 cm, and in the largest males, the range is up to 180 cm.

For a long time, the trophy of Kenneth Bering, caught in Kamchatka in 1993, was considered the largest antlers of an elk that was caught by a man. The following indicators are recorded in the book of records of the International Safari Club:

• the length of one horn is 127.6 cm;
• rise width: 43.8 cm left horn and 44.9 cm right;
• swing - 171.5 cm;
• 13 processes on the left and 18 on the right shovel.

But in 2015, the Lithuanian hunter Arunas Aishparas managed to get a moose, whose horns weighed about 50 kg and had a span of 178 cm. It is this trophy that claims the title of the largest of its kind.

According to experts, the number of moose has only been growing in recent years. Therefore, on the pages of the Red Book, it is placed next to those species that are threatened by the least danger, and hunting for them is not prohibited.

Moose are unique animals. Indeed, in addition to their gigantic size, they have a number of other unusual features:

• In water, they can swim at speeds up to 10 km / h, dive to a depth of 5 meters and hold their breath for up to 1 minute.
• Thanks to strong, long legs, animals can run at speeds up to 56 km/h.
• The special structure of the eyes allows them to notice the movement of objects behind them without turning their heads.
• They are not able to see a motionless person if he is at a distance of several tens of meters.
• They can rotate their ears in all directions and hear the sounds made by relatives even from 3 km away.
• Very long legs give them considerable inconvenience when drinking. To quench their thirst, the animal has to go deep into the pond or kneel.
• The main weapon of the animal is not the horns, but the front legs, the blow of which can be fatal even for a bear.
• They love to eat rotten apples, as the fermentation process makes them feel euphoric.