Muskoka Wildlife Centre





  
American Toad
Viber
Badger
Dozer
Sandy
Bald Eagle
Thorondor
Hal
Barn Owl
Barney (a.k.a. Moonface)
Silo
Beaver
Woodrow
Millie
Black Bear
Kootenay
Black Rat Snake
Kingston
Licorice
Blanding's Turtle
Oliver
Bobcat
Rufus
Box Turtle
Murtle
Bull Frog
Fergus
Cottontail Rabbit
Peter
Cougar
Kokanee
Eastern Fox Snake
Copper
Eastern Hog-nosed Snake
Olive
Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle
Snorkel
Fisher
Mike
Five-Lined Skink
Liz
Flying Squirrel
Pixie
Peanut
Garter Snake (Common)
Sir Hiss
Great Horned Owl
Dr. Hoo (not on display)
Green Frog
Kermit
Gargoyle
Grey Tree Frog
Twiggy
Groundhog/Woodchuck
Clover
Kestrel
Punk
Leopard Frog
Hoppy
Lynx
Yeti
Map Turtle (Northern)
Atlas
Marten
Conifer
Milk Snake
Beatrice
Moose
Chocolate
Lucky
Northern Bobwhite
Bob
Painted Turtle
Raphael
Willamina
Peregrine Falcon
Apollo
Porcupine
Quillber
Thistle
Raccoon
Dawn
Juniper
Latte
Raven
Edgar
Nevermore
Red Fox
Fenn
Renard
Red-tailed Hawk
Will Scarlet (not on display)
Saw-whet Owl
Luna
Snapping Turtle
Sam
Junior (not on display)
Spotted Salamander
Happy
Stinkpot Turtle
Lily (not on display)
Striped Skunk
Flower
Turkey Vulture
Barfalomew (not on display)
Wolf
Montana
Akayla
Wolverine
Hyde
Gulo
Wood Turtle
Oakley


Chocolate the Moose



Share Chocolate the Moose's Story
I'm sponsored! Special thanks to Cathy, Peter, Michael & Graham Clark
Born: Spring 2002
Sex: Female
  Chocolate was acquired July 21, 2003

Chocolate was born in captivity in Timmins. She was purchased by a big-screen film company to appear in a movie alongside Ray Romano and Gene Hackman, which was filmed in Port Perry, Ontario. Upon completion of the movie, she was sent here to educate people about moose.

Moose (Alces alces)

Average Size: Average Weight:
up to 2.4 m (8 ft) high at the shoulder 329-820 kg (700-1800 lbs)
Average Lifespan: Range:
up to 27 years widespread throughout Ontario

Dining and Dwelling

Life and Death

The Moose is primarily a browser. During the winter they eat shrubs, twigs, and bark of saplings. The summer months are more plentiful with leaves, grasses, foliage, and large quantities of aquatic plants. The aquatic plants help to restore the sodium levels that the Moose needs over winter.

They prefer to live in mixed forests adjacent to swamps and lakeshores, where there is an abundance of edible plant material both on land and in the water.

The Moose will breed late in September through early October and give birth 8 months later, usually May-June. Young weigh 11-16 kilograms and gain about 1 kilogram per day while nursing. Calves remain dependent on the mother for at least one year. Calf mortality is very high; almost 50% of the mortality rate is due to predation by bears and wolves. The Cow will evict her surviving calf just before bearing a new calf. The calves take 4-5 years to reach sexual and full physical maturity.

That's Amazing

  • The moose has the heaviest antlers of any animal on earth
  • Moose can swim very well on the surface or under the water
  • Moose can run faster than horses