Moose Size Comparison Guide

Last uPDATED:

If you are wondering about what is the largest deer type in the world, then the short answer is moose. Moose is a popular specie of deer and belongs to the deer’s subfamily.

The elk, or moose, are majestic animals. There are no deer species in the world larger and heavier than moose. A moose’s broad and wide antlers distinguish it from all other members of the deer family, making it one of nature’s most fascinating and admired creatures.

Moose differ in terms of size and height. They are big and gigantic in size and can grow to 7-8 feet in height. They are commonly found in North America, Europe and Russia. Forests and Arctic tundra are the most common places to find moose.

In this blog post, I will highlight various aspects about the moose size comparison. How different types of moose differ in size and weight and a comparison table pointing difference in weight, height and region for different types of moose. I will also make a comparison of moose with other animals.

So, let’s get started.

Different Types of Moose All Over The World

Before making a comparison, let’s first analyze the types of moose found in different geographical locations. 

In America and Canada, there are four types of moose found commonly named as Eastern Canada moose, Alaska Yukon moose, Shiras moose and western Canadian moose.

Shiras moose are also called Yellowstone moose and are considered as smallest sub specie of moose. Outside US and Canada, there are four other types of moose species found in Russia, China, and Europe. Moose are also called elk in Europe, and the type found in European regions is called East Siberian elk. 

Let’s see the table below for some of the terminologies used for moose:

Common NameWhy it is used
CowUsed for an adult female moose.
BullUsed for an adult male moose.
ElkCommonly used in Europe and chinses region.

Weight and Height of Moose

Just like moose differ in accordance with different geographical locations; in the same manner they have differ in weights and heights as well.

North American Moose

The largest moose subspecies is an Alaska Yukon moose. A record-breaking Alaskan moose weighed around 1,800 pounds. And more interestingly, moose in Alaska have antlers bigger than 75 inches!

On the other hand, the Yellowstone moose is the smallest specie of moose in North America. Their height is as big as around 5-6.5 feet, and their weigh around 1100 pounds.

European Moose

In the European region, the largest moose specie is Siberian elk, which can weigh anywhere around 1450-1600 pounds. 

And last but not least comes the smallest specie of moose, they are called Ussuri or Amur elk. These are commonly found in China and Russia.

Moose Size Comparison

Moose Vs. Humans

moose vs humans

We humans also have different heights ranging from 4 feet to 6 feet normally. According to Guinness World Records, Robert Wadlow was the tallest man, with an incredible height of 8 feet and 2.8 inches. Wow…! Tallest than the biggest moose! But he was the only person ever with such a height. In today’s world, even 6.5 feet is considered a good tall height. But the majority of people fall in the height range of 5-6 feet. 

Moose are some of the biggest mammals on the planet, reaching impressive heights. The largest Alaskan moose reached up to 7 feet 7 inches at the shoulders. And if you measure till head, it would have been above 8 feet, which is insanely tall.

There are also smaller species of moose in the Russian and Chinese regions. Still, even the smallest moose can grow to five feet.

Moose Vs. Horse

moose vs horse

Just like moose, horses also have different subspecies and are found in different regions. They also differ in height and weight.

Although moose stand between 5.5 and 7 feet in shoulder height, horses typically stand between 3.5 and 6 feet in shoulder height. Furthermore, while full-grown moose may reach an impressive mass of 1,800 pounds, horses can weigh between 400 and 2,000 pounds.

Moose vs Reindeer

moose vs reindeer

Reindeer are a fascinating species often found in the boreal forests and tundras of the Arctic. They are also commonly found in Russia, Greenland, Iceland and both Alaska and Canada in North America.

Christmas also has a special association with reindeer, as most people know them as Santa’s eight little reindeer.

In fact, reindeer and caribou are the same species (Rangifer tarandus); their name just varies depending on their region, caribou being the name for wild specimens and reindeer being the name for domesticated specimens. 

Reindeer has varying heights, from 2.5 feet to 5 feet tall at shoulder height. Males are generally heavier than females. Male reindeer weigh around 150-600 pounds, while females can weigh from 125-350 pounds.

With regard to antlers, male reindeer antlers can grow up to 55 inches long while, while females have antlers that can reach up to 20 inches long!

So, from both perspectives of weight and height, moose are well huge and bulky as compared to reindeer.

Moose Species Comparison Table

Moose Sub-SpecieWeight Range (Pounds)Height Range (Feet)Region
Yakutia / Lena Elk600 – 10005.5 – 6.5 FeetAsia, Eastern Russia, Siberia
European Elk650 – 10455.5 – 7 FeetFinland, Sweden , France, Russia, Norway
Ussuri / Amur Moose450 – 8005 -6 FeetChina, Russia
East Siberian Elk1100 – 16006.5 – 7.5 FeetEast Siberia
Eastern Moose600 – 8005.7 – 6.5 FeetEastern Canada
Alaskan Moose1000 – 18006.5 – 7.5 FeetAlaska, North America
Shiras /Yellowstone Moose500 -8005.5 – 6.3 FeetColorado, Utah, Wyoming

Similar Posts

Where do deer sleep?

How to attract deer- 6 Tested Ways

Inexpensive Way to Feed Deer

Leave a Comment