JACKSON, Wyo. — Warmer temperatures, snowmelt and greening vegetation have brought more moose out on the valley floor in recent weeks.
Buckrail photographer Nick Sulzer spied this pair of moose hanging out on the sagebrush flats of Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) on April 5. Undeterred by the moose, a passing black-billed magpie will also frequent the sagebrush plains of the region.
According to the GTNP Foundation, moose can be found in the spring along the Gros Ventre River, Moose-Wilson Road, Oxbow Bend and Willow Flats.
The National Park Service (NPS) wrote on its website that moose will replenish energy reserves after a long winter on new foliage, including leaves, twigs and buds from shrubs, willows and aspen trees. An adult moose consumes approximately 10 to 12 pounds of food per day in the winter and approximately 22 to 26 pounds of food per day in the summer.
In April or May, bull moose begin to grow new antlers. A bull will grow velvet bumps on each side of its forehead, eventually sprouting antlers in August.
The NPS wrote that spring is also calving season for moose, with cow moose typically giving birth in late May and early June. Mothers are very protective and will often hide their newborns in tall grass for the first few weeks until they gain mobility.
When ready to give birth, the cow drives off any previous year’s offspring that have wintered with her and seeks out a thicket. A cow will give birth to one or more calves, each weighing approximately 25 to 35 pounds. A calf will walk a few hours after birth, staying close to its mother.
In the summer, moose eat aquatic plants like water lilies, duckweed and burweed, per the NPS website. The principle staples of the moose diet are the leaves and twigs of the willow and gooseberry and buffaloberry shrubs.
The NPS says it’s crucial to observe moose from at least 25 yards away, as they can be aggressive when protecting their young.
