When you have animals of similar species, it is quite common to misidentify or get confused between them. Like Moose vs Elk is a commonly confused pair that many times even professionals or passionate watchers of wildlife cannot differentiate between them from afar. No wonder this is one of the major reasons why hunters shoot moose accidentally instead of elks. To get rid of this confusion, we have created a list of differences between moose and elk.
You will not only be able to tell the difference between moose and elk but also moose vs elk, moose vs elk size, Irish elk vs moose, elk vs moose size, and much more. It is essential to know the difference between the two similar-looking animals. There are major differences but usually, from afar both look quite similar.
Elks are generally smaller than Moose. Both moose and elk are mammals of the same group that belong to the Cervidae family. They are both deers as all animals belonging to the Cervidae family are but have different names. The Cervidae family has two categories, Cervinae and Capreolinae based on the structure of the bone and ankle. As stated earlier, from a distance both look similar and many hunters get confused. If you are into hunting, this information is vital for you. You don’t want to hunt down an animal and then regret it.
Let us look at the difference between a moose and an elk.
Moose
Moose is essentially a deer that belongs to the Cervidae family. There are many other animals that belong to this family and it is further categorized into two, Cervinae and Capreolinae. Moose falls under the Capreolinae category. The Capreolinae category deers are called the new world deers. Some deers that are part of this category are Moose, roe deer, and reindeer.
A moose is bigger as compared to an elk. It is black and large with antlers that are flat and broad. A moose has skin under their necks and nose shaped like that of a horse. Moose likes to live solitary lives and is not bothered by humans.
Elk
Like moose, elks also belong to the Cervidae family which is further categorized into Cervinae and Capreolinae. Elks belong to the Cervidae category, known as old-world deers. Even though animals belonging to this category have moved to other areas of the world. Some of the deers that are part of this category are Elks, Chital, Tufted Deer, and Muntjac.
Elks unlike moose are smaller in size and have a light brown color. They have antlers that are pointed and narrow. Their snouts are slender as compared to a moose and are seen to live in a group. Elks are known to avoid humans.
Moose Vs Elk: Factors to Compare
There are various factors with respect to moose vs elk that need to be taken into consideration to know the difference between the two animals. It is not clearly evident but with these factors, you will be clearly able to tell the two apart.
Here are the factors to compare moose vs elk.
Size ( Height and Length )
Size is a telling factor that can show the difference between an elk and a moose. An average male elk is 1.3mt in height whereas an average male moose is 2.1 m in height. An average female elk is 1.5mt in height and the average female moose is 1.4 mt.
The length of an average male elk is 2.1mt whereas the average male moose is 3.2mt. When you compare an average female elk’s length to an average female moose’s length, it is 2.4 mt.
Species
An elk belongs to the Cervidae category while a moose belongs to the Capreolinae category of the Cervidae family. Both are deers but belong to different categories and have different names.
Appearance
Elks have a medium size when compared to that of a moose. An average elk will weigh somewhere between 710 and 730lbs. A bull moose is double the size of a bull elk. When you compare a deer to an elk, deer are smaller but when you compare an elk to a moose, an elk is smaller than a moose.
An elk’s antlers are pointy and spindly, similar to that of a deer. Most elks are light brown that could look like a pale yellow or golden. An elk’s snout is narrow and the skin under the neck with a
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