(europeisk älg; Alces alces) The moose is the largest land mammal in our country. It is found throughout the country except on the island of Gotland. In the past 20-30 years, the moose population has increased significantly, and today we have a population of about 300,000 animals. The reasons for the increase are several, but regulation of hunting and more abundant food due to new forestry methods (clear-cutting) are the main ones. The male moose has the largest antlers at the age of 7-10 years and is then called a "kapital". Then the antlers decrease in size and are called "retur". There are two types of antlers: palmate antlers and cervine antlers.
| Belongs to: |
Order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates) |
| Family: |
Deer family (Cervidae) |
| Weight: |
Between 320-450 kg (bulls), in extreme cases up to 800 kg. Between 275-375 kg (cows). |
| Lifespan: |
Up to 25 years |
| Mating season: |
1 September-October |
| Gestation period: |
ca 8 months |
| Calves: |
Born in May-June and weighs 8-15 kg at birth: usually 1 or 2 calves, which nurse for 7-8 months. |
