Sweden

Looking For Moose? Try Sweden

If you’re looking to spot some moose, head over to Sweden.

The country has the densest population of the cuddly-looking giants. But how much do you really know about them? Wild Sweden has a wealth of knowledge on the animal, and here are some of our favorite facts.

These guys are big.

Moose are the largest species in the deer family, weighing up to 1,543 pounds and standing at 7.5 feet tall. Imagine bumping into one of them, and it’s over a foot taller than you!

They like their personal space.

Sounds like our introverted writing staff. While we love thinking of a big, happy, giant moose family, that’s not the case. Moose are solitary animals, and calves leave their mothers to fend for themselves after about a year. So, while a group of moose technically would be called a “herd” (sadly, not meese), it’s unrealistic you would ever see that.

In some cases, they aren’t brown.

In 2017, a video depicting a majestic snow-white moose went viral, many viewers assuming the animal to be albino. National Geographic covered the story and corrected the moose musers, stating that the white coloring of the moose was due to a recessive gene that causes the animal to grow white with specks of brown — a condition called piebald.

They could beat you at a swim meet… and a foot race, too.

Moose are excellent swimmers and fast on foot, too. According to Wild Sweden, moose can run up to 37 miles per hour and trot steadily at 18 miles per hour.

If you give a moose a muffin, he’ll likely just eat it. Don’t even worry about the jam.

All this moose talk has us thinking about one of our favorite children’s stories, though moose are actually herbivores and spend their days crunching away on herbs and leaves.

For more facts about the moose and other Swedish wildlife, check out Wild Sweden.