The Moose Animal Biography

Biography of the Moose

The Moose also known as elk. These are found in the cold plains of North America and Europe where they were named by locals as twig-eaters. The male have enormous antlers that the moose actually renews once a year. After the warmer mating season the male will shed its antlers to conserve energy for the winter. In the springtime this animal begins to develop its new antlers which take from 3 to 5 months to fully grow.

The moose have been hunted by humans for both trophies but also for meat. They are also prey to a number of large carnivorous mammals which they encounter such as bears, cougars and arctic wolves. There are thought to be six different subspecies of animal found in the sub-arctic forests today. These are the European moose (found in Finland, Sweden and Norway), the Eastern moose (found in the east of Canada and northeast of the United States), the Western moose (found in the west of Canada), the Siberian moose (found in the east of Siberia and Mongolia), the Alaska moose (found in Alaska and Yukon) and the Shiras moose (found in Wyoming and Utah).

Life Cycle of Moose

Female moose do not have antlers and tend to give birth to the baby after an 8 month gestation period. The female tends to have a single calf but twins and triplets have been known. The fur of the baby is a reddish colour that turns to brown as these get older. The young calves tend to stay with the mother until just before the next young are born.

Although moose are not usually aggressive animals, particularly towards humans, when provoked, They have been known to attack humans. Although the consequences of their attack are generally minor, Animal have been known to attack more humans than bears and wolves put together. They live in herds and live until they are about 16 years old. Moose are herbivorous animals and spend their time foraging for vegetation and branches to munch on.

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Monitor Lizard Biography and Facts

Biography of Monitor Lizard

Monitor Lizards are large reptiles found in Africa and all across Asia, including the surrounding seas. This lizard is mainly found in jungle areas although some species of monitor lizard are water-bound. Some species are thought to carry a fairly weak venom, for example, the komodo dragon which is the largest of the species. The komodo dragon is native to the small Indonesian island that it is named after and is the largest species of lizard in the world.

According to legend, monitor lizards were a sign that there were crocodiles close by, possibly due to their standing on their hind legs to monitor their surroundings. Monitor lizards do this so that they are aware of any approaching predators. Although many species are quite big, some species are smaller than 20 cm in length. Monitor lizards are extremely versatile animals and monitor lizards adapt well into different environments.

Facts about Monitor Lizards

Most species of monitor lizard have a predominantly carnivorous diet, eating eggs, smaller reptiles, fish, birds and small mammals. Some species of monitor lizard also eat fruit and vegetation depending on where they live. Female monitor lizards bury their eggs in holes or hollow tree stumps that the female monitor lizard then covers with dirt in order to protect her eggs. These lizards can lay up to 30 eggs at a time, although many lizards lay less, and only a lucky few of the monitor lizard babies tend to survive.

Monitor lizards are thought to be fairly intelligent animals, with some people claiming that are able to recognise numbers up to six, therefore meaning that lizards are able to count! Monitor lizards mainly use their intelligence in the wild by surveying areas for oncoming danger and for hunting their prey.

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