A large bull moose munches on willow branches as its effortlessly moves through the deep snow near Yellowstone’s northeast entrance. Of the four subspecies of moose in North America, Yellowstone moose are the smallest. Do not be deceived though, males can weigh up to 1,000 pounds and females close to 900 pounds. Even with this size they have an uncanny ability to move stealthily undetected through brush and forested areas. Fewer than 200 can be found in Yellowstone as their population has declined since the 1980’s due to loss of old growth forests surrounding the park, hunting outside the park, burning of habitat, and predators.
