
Photo: USDA Forest Service · Public domain
Alces alces
Diet
Leaves, shoots, twigs, bark, stems, flowers, and aquatic vegetation
Habitat
Taiga, temperate forest, tundra-subalpine areas, wetlands, and riparian habitats
Range
Northern Eurasia and North America, including northern China and Mongolia
Litter size
1–2 calves
Gestation period
About 231 days
Size
2.3–3.1 m long; up to 2.3 m at the shoulder
Weight
270–771 kg
The Eurasian elk, also called the Eurasian moose, is the largest member of the deer family. It has a massive body supported by long, slender legs, a short thick neck, humped shoulders, and a large head with an elongated, drooping muzzle. A fur-covered flap called a bell hangs beneath the neck. Its coat varies from black to brown or grayish-brown, with paler lower legs. Males are substantially heavier than females and carry large antlers that are shed and regrown annually. (Animal Diversity Web)
This deer occupies cold northern forests across Eurasia and North America, reaching northern China and Mongolia at the southern edge of its Asian range. It inhabits taiga, temperate and mixed forest, tundra-subalpine areas, wetlands, and watersides, favoring disturbed forest where young vegetation is plentiful. Mostly solitary and crepuscular, it is also a capable runner and swimmer. It browses woody stems and twigs in winter, shifts toward leaves and shoots in summer, and also consumes aquatic vegetation. (Animal Diversity Web)