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 Moose are unpredictable in their
behavior. They have excellent
senses of hearing and smell, but
poor vision. When a moose
perceives a threat, it often
withdraws silently into the
trees and stands quietly until
the danger has passed. A
startled or frightened moose
will crash noisily headlong
through the bush. Its antlers do
not become entangled in dense
thickets when it runs because it
holds its head back so the
antlers lie along the shoulders
and the branches are pushed
aside.
Although ungulates are generally
gregarious, moose are solitary
animals and do not form
permanent groups. The only
social bond formed is between
mother and calf. Moose may
"yard" together in winter, but
this is more of a temporary
survival mechanism than a social
one. When snow is very deep, it
tends to restrict their
movements to small areas which
become well-packed and laced
with trails. In the Northwest
Territories where snowfall is
generally light, yarding is
probably not as important as
elsewhere, but small groups are
still often seen together.
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