Hobbies And Interests
Antlers
A moose's antlers are probably the first feature that children notice, so give them some fun facts about those antlers. For example, moose lose their antlers every year at the very beginning of spring and completely regrow them in as little as three months. This is especially impressive because a moose's antlers can exceed 5 feet in width. The tissue responsible for antler growth is among the fastest-growing living tissue in nature. Moose use antlers to battle for dominance and show suitability for mating.
Size
The moose is the largest member of the deer family. An average full-grown moose stands as tall as 6½ feet from the bottom of its hooves to the top of its shoulder blade; the head and antlers make it even taller. Moose can easily weigh 1,800 pounds. Remind the kids that this puts the moose's weight at almost a ton.
Speed and Mobility
Moose are fast. Their top speed, which they can maintain for short bursts, is 35 miles per hour; they can maintain a speed of 20 miles per hour over longer distances. To put this into perspective, most humans can't even run 10 miles per hour. Just days after they are born, moose calves are already faster than people. Moose are also fantastic swimmers, capable of swimming for miles and staying underwater for more than 30 seconds.
Diet
Moose are herbivores, meaning that they feed only on plant matter. In the winter, they like to eat shrubbery, pine cones and anything else that they can reach without having to lower their heads to the ground, which is hard because of their extreme height. They often use their swimming skills to get to plants that grow in the water; the parts of Canada and America populated by moose are rich with lakes and rivers. Moose can live up to 20 years in the wild.