What Do Moose Eat?
According to National Geographic, moose follow an herbivore diet, which means they are capable of eating many types of plants or fruits. Their diet varies depending on the season.
During winter months, moose eat shrubs and pine cones. They also use their hooves to clear snow, allowing them access to lichens and mosses. Food is more abundant in the summer, and moose usually feed on aquatic plants at the surface, as well as below it. Up to half of the moose’s diet consists of aquatic plants, as they are needed to compensate for a lack of sodium in the rest of their diet.
Moose usually eat higher grasses and shrubs because they are so tall that bending over is a struggle. Their lips, tongue and gums are extremely tough, allowing them to chew through dense vegetation.
Moose are surprisingly excellent swimmers, despite their large size. National Geographic reports that moose have been seen paddling for several miles, and can even submerge for over 30 seconds at a time. Moose are also surprisingly fast on land. Over short distances, they are capable of running up to 35 miles per hour. For long-distance sprawls, they can average a steady 20 miles per hour.
