What Are the Different Types of Moose?


While they may appear quite different to other species, moose are actually a type of deer. What makes them different is that they are a distinct species, just how red deer, roe deer and other types of deer have their own differences. This may surprise you if you have seen different types of moose, since even within this single species they can vary, leading AnimalWised to ask how many types of moose are there?
Although there is only one species of moose, there are currently 8 recognized subspecies. Some zoologists may recognize others, but this caries according to different categorizations. Much of the reaosn why there are different types of moose subspecies is due to populations developing in different habitats, something we learn about in this article.
What is a moose?
The moose (Alces alces) is an artiodactyl mammal and the largest species of cervid in existence. Cervids are more commonly known as deer. Although its populations have been subjected to various pressures such as hunting, it can be found inhabiting Nordic forests around the world. Although there is only one single species, there are different subspecies of moose distributed both in Eurasia and the American continent.
All types of moose are even-toed ungulate animals, something we explain more about in our related guide.

Characteristics of moose
Although each subspecies of moose has their own individual characteristics, there are some general moose features which we can see in all types of moose. They include:
- Range: the population distribution of moose covers North America, ranging from Alaska and Canada south through the Rocky Mountains, as well as the northern Great Lakes and New England. They are also found in northern Eurasia, with populations in Scandinavia, Poland, northern Austria and the southern Czech Republic. In the east they can be found near the Yenisei River (Siberia) and in the south they appear in Ukraine, northern Kazakhstan and northern China. European moose have a continuous distribution in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Belarus, Poland and northern Ukraine.
- Size: the height of the moose varies from 1.5 to 2.15 meters while the body length varies between 2.4 and 3.1 meters. The weight of the moose is between 200 to 850 kg. The size of the largest moose is larger than any other cervid, although smaller subspecies may be rivaled by other deer such as elk or European moose.
- Antlers: males possess antlers like other species in the cervid family, which they use in competition and fights with rivals. Antler size and growth rate are determined by diet and age, with their symmetry reflecting health. Females partly select their mates based on antler size.
- Adaptations: moose have several adaptations to cold environments. One of the main ones is that they have a large nose with great blood flow that warms the air before it reaches their lungs.
- Predators: moose predators include wolves, brown bears, black bears, pumas and Siberian tigers.
As we can see, the population distribution of moose is great. For this reason, we often see different subspecies of moose living in different areas. We discover more about what types of moose there are in the next section.
How many types of moose are there?
As we have explained, there is one single species of moose with 8 different subspecies. This means the 8 types of moose we can find are:
- European elk (Alces alces alces): native to Scandinavia, Finland, the Baltic States and Poland east of the Yenisei River.
- Eastern Moose (Alces alces americanus): lives in eastern Canada.
- Western Moose (Alces alces andersoni): ranges from British Columbia to Minnesota and as far west as Ontario.
- Chukotka or East Siberian elk (Alces alces buturlini): lives in northeastern Siberia and Kamchatka.
- Ussuri, Amur or Manchurian elk (Alces alces cameloides): distributed in northern Mongolia, Ussuriland and northern Manchuria.
- Alaskan moose (Alces alces gigas): a giant moose (the largest among all cervids), lives in Alaska and Yukon.
- Yakutia, Mid-Siberian or Lena elk (Alces alces pfizenmayeri): from central Siberia and the Stanovoy and Cherskiy mountains.
- Shiras' moose or Yellowstone moose (Alces alces shirasi): from southern Alberta to Wyoming and Utah.

Where do moose live?
Moose occupy a wide variety of forest habitats, both with coniferous and hardwood species. They can live in tundra and taiga regions in the south, as well as boreal and temperate zones. Moose are also adaptable to second-growth boreal forests, clearings, swamps, lakes and wetlands. They may also be found in open country in lowlands and mountains, including crop fields if forest is nearby. Moose avoid high summer temperatures by taking advantage of shade or bodies of water.
What do moose eat?
Moose feed on the vegetative parts of a variety of broadleaf trees, preferentially choosing birch, ash and willow in spring and summer. They eat twigs of these species, as well as fir, pine and juniper in autumn and winter. They are also known to eat shrubs, grasses and aquatic plants. In search of food, some populations migrate during the year, covering up to 112 Mi (180 km) in North America and 186 Mi (300 km) in Asia.

How do moose reproduce?
The moose rutting season takes place from September to October. During this time, both sexes give loud nasal calls to attract attention. The gestation period in moose varies between 242 and 250 days. Young females give birth to one calf, while older females may give birth to two or occasionally three young. At birth, the calves weigh 24-35 lb (11-16 kg) and are able to follow their mother after two or three days of age. Sexual maturity is reached after one year.

Threats and conservation of moose
The main threat facing moose populations is associated with human-caused habitat alteration. Forestry and agricultural production in moose southern population ranges have caused massive and extensive declines. According to the IUCN, moose are listed as being of least concern, as they are still widespread and abundant despite hunting pressures in certain parts of their range. In fact, in some places they are expanding their range and also thrive in secondary habitats.
Various conservation efforts are being carried out, as the animal is included in Appendix III of the Bern Convention and it is found in a large number of protected areas throughout its range. In addition, it is protected by national legislation in several countries such as those found in Germany.
Now you know how many types of moose there are, you may want to learn more about this type of animal with our article asking what are ruminants?
If you want to read similar articles to What Are the Different Types of Moose?, we recommend you visit our Wild animals category.
- IUCN. (2024). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
https://www.iucnredlist.org