Copyright © John A. Vucetich — All rights reserved
Moose are ruminants, and spend much of their life chewing cud. In this image (left), the cud bolus can be seen bulging from the moose's left cheek.
In this image, a moose stands on a snow bank and stretches to reach a few cedar needles.
It had generally been thought that moose eat cedar only incidentally. Using a new methodology, whereby moose scat are examined under a microscope, we now know that as much as 1/3 of a moose's diet in winter may be cedar.
Balsam fir also represents about 1/3 of a moose's diet during winter.
Incisors are the front teeth. Like other members of the deer family, moose only have lower incisors, and have not upper incisors (though they have both upper and lower molars).
As moose get older, their teeth get worn out. Worn out teeth lead to reduced food intake, and reduced physical condition.
Moose spend a great a deal of time bedded.
Sometimes, in the afternoon sun, they just drift into sleep. Moose are rarely cold. They don't elevate their metabolism (to stay warm) until it gets colder than about -25F.
Winter diet is reduced to just twigs and needles. This may seem like dry fare, but twigs are comprised of about 50% water. If moose are eating enough, then they don't need to drink any water.
However, when food intake is reduced, moose must resort to eating snow.
Think about the life of a moose.
