A Shiras bull moose with summer velvet antlers rests in a field of grass in the late evening at Gros Ventre Campground in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, in early summer.
Moose are the largest extant species in the deer family. The Shiras Moose is the smallest subspecies in North America, weighing from 507 to 785 lb at maturity and can be found in Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Montana.
The moose is a herbivore and needs to consume 9,770 kcal per day to maintain its body weight. A typical moose that weighs 794 lb can eat up to 71 lb of food per day.
After the mating season male moose drop their antlers to conserve energy for the winter, growing a new set of antlers in the spring. The antlers take three to five months to fully develop. Antler growth is nourished by an extensive system of blood vessels in the skin covering, which contains numerous hair follicles that give it a “velvet” texture. In fall the velvet is removed by rubbing and thrashing.
This photo was photographed with my Sony a7R camera and Sigma Contemporary 150-600mm Canon EF lens using a Metabones III adapter.
Moose facts courtesy of wikipedia.