The Western Moose is a subspecies of Moose

Moose

The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...

 that ranges from British Columbia, to Western Ontario, eastern Yukon, Northwest Territories, southwestern Nunavut, Michigan (Upper Peninsula), northern Wisconsin, northern Minnesota, and northeastern North Dakota. Western Moose inhabit boreal forests and mixed deciduous forests throughout all of eastern Yukon, most of the Northwest Territories, a piece of western Alaska, all of northern British Columbia, a piece of southern Nunavut, all of northern Alberta, all of northern and most of southern Saskatchewan, all of Manitoba, a piece of northern North Dakota, a piece of northern Minnesota, the northern peninsula and a piece of northern of Michigan, and all of western and a piece of eastern Ontario. The Western Moose is the second largest subspecies of Moose, second to the Alaska Moose

Alaska Moose

The Alaska Moose is a subspecies of Moose that ranges from Alaska to western Yukon. The Alaska Moose is the largest subspecies of moose. Alaska Moose inhabit boreal forests and mixed deciduous forests throughout most of Alaska and most of Western Yukon...

. Male Western Moose are extremely aggressive during mating season in autumn and winter and may injure or kill anything that provokes it.

Habitat, range, and distribution

The Western Moose ranges throughout most of Canada including British Columbia, Ontario, the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut. The Western Moose also ranges in the United States in North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The Western Moose frequently comes in contact with humans and they are usually peaceful but during mating season male Western Moose along with all other male Moose species have high testosterone levels and see any living thing as an opponent and usually attack. Western Moose have such a large a range with about 950,000 individuals they are hunted every autumn and winter in both Canada and the United States.

Diet

Western Moose have a diet of all moose species of terrestrial vegetation forbs and shoots from trees such as willow and birch. Western Moose can consume up to 9770 calories a day which is 32kg. Western Moose also eat aquatic plants including lilies and pondweed. Western Moose like other moose species lack upper front teeth but have eight sharp incisors on their lower jaw. They also have a tough tongue, gums, and lips to help chew woody vegetation.

Size and weight

Male Western Moose on average stand anywhere from 1.9 m to 2.0 m (6–7 ft) at the shoulder. Their antlers on average have a span of around 1.6 m (5–6 ft) and weigh anywhere from 380–720kg (850–1580 pounds). Female Western Moose on average stand at 1.8 m (6 ft) and weigh anywhere from 270–360kg (600–800 pounds).

Social structure and reproduction

Western Moose have no social bonds with eachother and only come into contact for either mating or for two bull moose to fight for mating rights. Western Moose are not usually aggressive towards humans but if it is mating season or if a female has calves they will attack. Bull Western Moose will attack anything during mating season including humans,wolves,elk,and bear due to the fact it sees any living thing as an opponent to fight for breeding rights. During a fight between two bull moose both moose take a risk of getting their antlers locked together witch causes them both to die a slow painful death from starvation. Western Moose along with all other moose species call out a suttle mating call to attract a female to mate with or to warn a male that he is in the area. Western Moose have on average have one or two babies at once. At around 10–11 months yearling Western Moose are chased off by their mothers to fend for themselves.

Hunting

Every year in autumn and winter Western Moose are hunted for sport and food due to the fact that Western Moose have an overflowing population of around 950,000. Hunters use both bows and arrows and guns to hunt Western Moose due to the fact that it takes a lot of force to take down a full grown Western Moose. Hunters only hunt male Western Moose because of the risk of a female moose being pregnant when it is killed.