This is a photo from 2006 that I just stumbled upon, taken in the Museum of Natural History in Brussels. I took it and forgot about it!

A proto-moose.

Ok, I was totally joking when I said in one of my emails that the moose was a mixture of cow with horse with camel with giraffe.

Here I am, continuing my education on moose (bought two books and don’t lose a chance to surf the web when things are slow at work), and I find out that there are 5 moose subspecies, one of them being the

Alces alces cameloides

WOW! A real camel-moose.

I had read about the subspescies in the American continent, but today’s discovery took me elsewhere! This subspecies’ habitat is Eastern Siberia, Mongolia and Manchuria.

Most of you know, I’m sure, but for those who forgot it… a species is that end of the taxonomy tree.  In the moose’s case, the tree starts with “Kingdom: Animal”and the name of the species is Alces alces. If you want to refine the branch a little more with subspecies, then a third word is added to the species name, like in this case – “Alces alces cameloides”. Of course, Latin is the official taxonomy language.

Anyway, I wasn’t really totally crazy when I found a resemblance with camels! Weirdly enough, The Alces alces cameloides seem to have a bigger “bump” on the back, just like camels, uuughhh, or I should say dromedaries. That might be the reason why the sub-species is named cameloides. But then I am just speculating! Anyone with information on this, please email me.

Here’s a picture of an Alces alces cameloides. This is really hard to find on the internet.

The branch with all subspecies is here, at Wikipedia.

More on moose soon.

My doubt is still the bell (that kind of beard that moose have on their neck).  I’ve read about its function and every source gives me a different answer. Just for the rut season (as the moose waggles on the moose wallows and gets that special “flavor”)? Weight to help to bring water out of eyes? All of the above?

• The word “moose” comes from the Algonquin Indians. These were native people who lived throughout the northern regions of Canada. The Algonquins called this strange looking creature mooswa. It means “twig-eater” or “the animal that strips bark off of trees.” Early explorers heard this work and through the years, it eventually changed into “moose.”
• For the Algonquins, the moose was an important animal. It supplied them with food and other things for their survival. Moose meat was a source of nourishment during the long winters. The hide was used to make clothing and provide shelter. And moose bones and antlers were shaped into useful tools.
• The moose is the world’s largest deer. The moose can run 35 miles per hour and can easily swim 10 miles.
• Moose eat willow, birch and aspen twigs, horsetail, sedges, roots, pond weeds and grasses. Moose eat leaves, twigs, buds and the bark of some woody plants, as well as lichens, aquatic plants and some of the taller herbaceous land plants. Can actually feed under water.
• Moose are found in northern forests in North America, Europe, and Russia. In Europe and Asia, moose are called elk.
• Hooves are the first line of defense!
• While a male may use its antlers to hold off a predator, a moose’s sharp hooves are its first line of defense. Moose are able to kick out in all directions, but generally use their front feet.
• They’re faster than they look!
• Cow moose have been known to live for as long as 20 years. Bull moose may reach 15 years of age.

Check this out:

Good little quiz about moose at the Canadian Museum of Natural Sciences site:

http://nature.ca/discover/exm/rgngbl/index_e.cfm

I found this story at http://www.moosefoundation.org/ and could not resit to bring it here!

BY: Mark Hinschberger, Wildlife Biologist

Dubois, Wyoming

In 1978, I was working as a seasonal Forest Service employee on the Gros Ventre Ranger District of the Bridger-Teton National Forest.  My partner, Bill Long, a Wyoming Game and Fish Department seasonal employee, and I were the current two “elk trackers” working on the fifth year of a six year Gros Ventre Cooperative Elk-Logging Study.  We located radio-marked elk everyday from May to November.  This research involved much travel on horseback.  We each had two horses for this work.  My horses were Forest Service stock, while the WG&F Department leased the horses Bill used.

Since this was first year for both of us on this study, our supervisors arranged to have previous employees on the study go with us our first several times into the back country to “show us the ropes”.  I remember Kent Schmidlin on one of those trips told me that “Fescue” liked moose.  Now Fescue was a chestnut colored gelding quarter horse that was very long coupled and was not afraid of anything.   Grouse flushing near him, gun shots nearby or next to him, other horses spooking, or elk recovering from being captured and radio-collared did not frighten him.

I had the opportunity to experience what Kent meant when he said that “Fescue likes Moose” in early October of 1978.  I was riding Fescue that cool fall day.  I was coming down off St. John’s Overlook, a good spot to receive radio signals from elk both in Purdy Basin to the south and the Sheridan Trail area in Squaw Creek to the north, headed back for our camp at the mouth of Beauty Park Creek.  The trail off St. John’s Overlook takes one down Squaw Creek through both Burnt and Open Forks of Squaw Creek.  At a point in the trail between these two Forks, Fescue and I encountered a bull and three cow moose.  They were in the vicinity of the trail and at this point there was no room or opportunity to get around them.  The bull appeared to be agitated by  our presence and the cows were indifferent.  Fescue and I started down through them, assuming that they would move off and out of the way.  As we approached, the bull became more upset and appeared that he wanted to charge.  Not wanting this to happen, I turned Fescue towards the bull and made him charge the bull to try and drive the moose back or off.  The bull moose retreated and got out of our way. What happened next, I will never forget.

As Fescue and I headed down the trail, with the bull moose off in the willows grunting and taking his frustration out on the willows, the three cows were traveling down the trail immediately next to Fescue and I.  We had one on our left and two on our right.  The moose were so close; I could reach out and touch them from my position in the saddle on Fescue.  Fescue was all “puffed up” and almost prancing as we headed down the trail.  These three cow moose followed us along the trail for almost a hundred yards as the bull, still displeased with current events and working over the willow bushes, followed along off to the side.  I think that Fescue thought that he had just won the lotto, by the way that he was walking and behaving.  He had three ladies and was in seventh heaven.  The cow moose finally began to figure something wasn’t right with this situation and slowly veered off from Fescue and I and entered into the willow off of the trail.  Fescue looked back and whinnied as if to say, “what’s wrong”.  His stride and gait changed back to what is was before we encountered the moose and we headed for camp.