What Do Moose Eat
The Moose, which is also called elk in some parts of the world, is the largest existing species in the deer family. The male moose, known as a bull, is famous for their large antlers that are a prized trophy for hunters. The female of the species, called a cow, is generally smaller than the male and do not have antlers. They are usually solitary animals and do not form herds like other members of the deer family. Read on to find out more about the diet of the moose.
What do moose eat?
Moose are considered to be herbivores because they primarily eat plant-based foods. They are capable of eating many different types of plants and fruit. They commonly eat small plants and bushes, but these do not provide enough sodium for the moose. This is why moose also need to consume large amounts of aquatic plants, such as pondweed and lilies. A moose will happily wade into the water to eat and up to half of their diet can consist entirely of aquatic plants. Interestingly, the low sodium content of their diet can even lead moose to lick salt from roads in the winter.
An adult moose needs to eat almost 10,000 calories a day to maintain their current body weight. This means that a typical moose eats about 32 kg (70.5 pounds) of food per day!
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