YEARLING SITTING AT A THRESHOLD- MOOSE CALF PORTRAIT

Moose are found in the northern parts of both North America and Eurasia. They favor habitats within forests where rivers and ponds dominate the landscape foraging the green plants on land as well in the water. Moose are generally solitary animals, but that all changes in the fall during the “Rut”when bull moose actively seek out numerous female cows for mating. The rut is also marked by bull moose challenging other bulls with their antlers for the right to mate with a female. Things change after mating, the bull will not remain with the female, but will return to the solitary animal it is.

The female cow on the other hand takes on the challenge of not only giving birth to calves, but raising them. Typically the moose cow will give birth to one or two calves in mid-May after a 230-day gestation period. In the wild this time period is dangerous as bears, cougars and wolves are all on the hunt. The female will defend and care for the young calf for up to one year until it exhibits strong running abilities.