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Moose Are
So Very Fascinating!
It was just an average day,
pretty much like all the other days. It was quiet across the forest, only the usual sounds of crickets and birds and breezes adding to the serenity of
the day. It was one of those days that makes a moose very thankful for living where he did. Yes indeed, the quietness made for a very happy, cheerful,
laid-back moose.
Barnaby the Moose, who lived in this particular forest, was minding his own business and chomping on some twigs, when he saw a squirrel out of the corner of his eye. The squirrel, whose name
was Millie, was simply staring at him
with an inquisitive look on her face.
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"Excuse me, sir," said the squirrel timidly.
"But I am doing a report on moose for
my zoology class and I wondered if you
could help me? Would you tell me some
fun "moose stuff" that an average squirrel
like me wouldn't know?
"A what class? Zoology? What in the
blue blazes is that?" asked Barnaby.
Getting a little braver, Millie stood up very tall and replied, "Zoology is the study of all kinds and types of animals!
It is an amazing class!"
Barnaby shook his head and thought about this class with a funny name.
"Gotcha," he said. "You know what,
that sounds like a really fun class. Everybody should learn all they can
about animals!"
Since Barnaby liked the idea of zoology,
he decided right there and then he would most certainly help Millie. He would tell her all kinds of fascinating things
about himself and other moose.
Or is it meese? Or mooses? Moosen?
Nah, the right word for more than
one is "moose." Barnaby was sure of it!
YEP IT'S "MOOSE"
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Well, Millie the Squirrel got quite
the ear-full! Barnaby went on and on
about all he knew about moose.
After all, he is a moose and who would know more about moose than a moose himself!
She was tickled pink with all the
interesting things she learned from him
and she knew her report would be terrific!
So are you curious about what he shared?
If you are, here are some highlights
from Barnaby's long visit with Millie
on that average, quiet, serene day in that very beautiful forest. Enjoy!
Moose antlers can stretch nearly 6 feet from
tip to tip and weight up to 90 pounds.
Only the males have them and shed and regrow them every year.
They are herbivores - they only eat plants.
They have no upper front teeth!
Wonder if they ever sing the song
"All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth"?
Moose are fabulous swimmers, can even close their nostrils to dive underwater clear down to 20 feet. They can swim as far as 12 miles and up to
6 miles per hour.
Best word to describe their running?
Fast! They can run up to 35 mph.
Their eyesight is quite bad, very nearsighted, which means they cannot see things at a distance clearly.
But they have very good hearing and sense of smell.
Their front legs are longer than their back legs.
The name "moose" comes from the Algonquin term meaning "twig eater." The Algonquin are a
North American indigenous people.
Good grief, moose are huge! They can weigh over 1,400 pounds! They can also stand more than
7 feet tall at the shoulders.
The flap of skin that sways under a moose's chin
is called a "bell" or "dewlap."
They are solitary animals. That means they prefer to live and travel alone.
Moose like to spend a lot of time in the water!
What is amazing about that is it helps them to
live longer lives. Standing in the water takes
the stress off their joints and bones, so it lessens the chance of their getting arthritis and osteoporosis. Plus predators like wolves and mountain lions are less likely to attack them
as it is harder to sneak up on a moose in water!
Illustrations - permission obtained via store policies and direct communications:
all moose and squirrel illustrations by PaintPixelCo (Etsy)
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