Do Moose Have Tails?

Moose, which is a species of the deer family, have short and stubby tails that measures anywhere between 2.5 to 3.5 inches in length. These animals are most notable for the large palmate antlers on the males, which grow on the frontal bone of the skull during spring and sheds during winter.

Due to the relatively short length of the moose’s tail in relation to its enormous size, some may think that it does not have a tail, but both the male and female moose do sport a short and stubby tail. It is unclear what functions the short tail of the moose serves, as it is too short to swish flies away, which is one of the of the usual functions of the tails in ungulates.

The moose is known as the “Eurasian elk” in Europe. One of the largest ungulates, a fully grown moose can stand between 5 to 6.5 feet tall at the shoulders and weigh as much as 1,800 pounds. This large animal requires between 44 to 130 pounds of wet forage a day.