🍼 Moose calf
Also known as: moose calf, baby moose, elk calf, calf of a moose
A moose calf is the young of a cow moose: born in May or June at 13 to 16 kg, it suckles at once and grows more than tenfold in five months.
A moose calf is the young of a cow moose. Moose live in the northern forests of Europe, Asia and North America. The cow carries her calf for almost eight months, about 230 days, and calves are born from mid-May to early June. A newborn weighs 13 to 16 kg, and within a few hours it begins to suckle.
Solid food comes early: a calf starts taking it a few days after birth, though it goes on drinking milk. In its first five months it grows to more than ten times its birth weight, sometimes passing 227 kg. Newborns are reddish brown, lighter than adults. After a few weeks the colour fades, and by late summer the coat looks much like an adult's.
Weaning happens in autumn, when the cow breeds again. The bond lasts nearly twelve months. Just before she gives birth, the cow chases her yearling away.
Compare this with a reindeer calf, whose mother keeps lactating until autumn on very rich milk. Twin moose calves depend on habitat: in poor range twinning is below 10%, in good range it can reach 75%. A foal is on its feet within hours, while a joey spends months out of sight in a pouch.
Facts
| Animal | Moose (Alces alces): usually one or two calves, occasionally three 1 |
|---|---|
| Duration | Gestation about 230 days; birth from mid-May to early June 1 |
| Bottle size | Newborn 13–16 kg; more than ten times heavier by five months 1 |
| Season | Weaned in autumn; bond with the mother lasts about 12 months 1 |
| Colour | Newborn reddish brown, fading to a lighter rust within weeks 1 |
How it connects to milk
🍼 Moose calf ← feeds ← 🦌 Moose cow → gives → 🥛 Milk
Links
- Fed with milk by
- 🦌 Moose cow
- Part of
- 🤱 Who drinks milk: young animals and feeding
Frequently asked questions
When are moose calves born?
From mid-May to early June, after a pregnancy of about 230 days.
How big is a newborn moose calf?
Usually 13 to 16 kg, sometimes up to 22 kg. It grows to more than ten times that in five months.
How often do moose have twins?
It depends on habitat: under 10% in poor range and up to 75% in good range. Triplets can happen too.
How long does a moose calf nurse?
It suckles from the first hours of life and is weaned in autumn when the cow breeds again, though it starts taking solid food within days.
Is it true that a moose calf stays with its mother for life?
No. The bond lasts about 12 months. Then the cow chases the yearling off just before she calves again.
Similar
🍼 Goat kid · 🍼 Lamb · 🍼 Buffalo calf · 🍼 Foal · 🍼 Donkey foal · 🍼 Reindeer calf
Sources
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Moose (Wildlife Notebook Series)
- National Park Service. Moose, Kenai Fjords National Park