Alces alces
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Moose
Distribution :
Russia (E Siberia), east of the Yenisei River east to Anadyr region (E Siberia) and south to N Mongolia and N China (N of Inner Mongolia and Manchuria). N America in Canada and N USA (including Alaska); introduced to New Zealand where now extinct.
Image courtesy of the ASM Mammal Images Library · MIL ID: 192
Taxonomy
| Subclass | : Theria |
| Infraclass | : Placentalia |
| Magnorder | : Boreoeutheria |
| Superorder | : Laurasiatheria |
| Order | : Artiodactyla |
| Suborder | : Ruminantia |
| Infraorder | : Pecora |
| Superfamily | : Cervoidea |
| Family | : Cervidae |
| Subfamily | : Capreolinae |
| Tribe | : Alceini |
| Genus | : Alces |
Species status
Authority citation
Linnaeus, C. 1758-01-01. Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm, 823 pp.
Authority publication link
Original name as described
Cervus Alces
Other common names
Elk · Eurasian Elk · Caucasian Moose
Type locality
Sweden.
Biogeographic realm
Nearctic · Palearctic
Country distribution
Belarus · Canada · China · Croatia · Czech Republic · Estonia · Finland · Germany · Hungary · Kazakhstan · Latvia · Lithuania · Moldova · Mongolia · Norway · Poland · Romania · Russia · Slovakia · Sweden · Ukraine · United States
Subregion distribution
USA(AK, ID, MA, ME, MI, MN, MT, ND, NH, NY, OR, UT, VT, WA, WI, WY)
Taxonomy notes
includes americanus, which has been considered a distinct species on a number of occasions, including by Groves & Grubb 2011; here, the genus is treated as monotypic based on molecular and morphological research, however, there are two distinct subclades within Alces alces that could be treated as distinct species if further research supports it; for additional information regarding the MDD's decision to not follow the Groves & Grubb 2011 Ungulate Taxonomy, see 'Subjective decisions' on the 'About' tab
Taxonomy notes citation
Boeskorov, G.G. 2003. The genetics of the modern moose and a review of its taxonomy. Cranium 20(2):31-45. · Hundertmark, K.J. and Bowyer, R.T. 2004. Genetics, evolution, and phylogeography of moose. Alces 40:103-122. a#72642 · Lister, A. M. (2005). Subspecies differentiation among moose (Alces alces (L.)): geographical variation in cranial morphology. Quaternaire Hors-Série 2:31-37. · Hundertmark, K.J., Bowyer, R.T., Shields, G.F., Schwartz, C.C., and Smith, M.H. 2006. Colonization history and taxonomy of moose Alces alces in southeastern Alaska inferred from mtDNA variation. Wildlife Biology 12(3):331-338. · Kolesnikov, V.V., and Kozlovskii, I.S. 2014. Geographical variation of antler morphology of moose (Alces alces) in Russia. Acta theriologica 59(3):443-448. · Świsłocka, M., Matosiuk, M., Ratkiewicz, M., Borkowska, A., Czajkowska, M. and Mackiewicz, P. 2019. Phylogeny and diversity of moose (Alces alces, Cervidae, Mammalia) revealed by complete mitochondrial genomes. Hystrix, the Italian Journal of Mammalogy 31(1):1-9. a#72638 · Rodgers, A.R., Baskin, L., Herfindal, I., Jensen, W., Kuzyk, G., Pekins, P., and Rolandsen, C.M. 2025. Moose Alces alces (Linnaeus, 1758). In Deer of the World: Ecology, Conservation and Management (pp. 753-788). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. · Groves, C.P. and Grubb, P. 2011. Ungulate Taxonomy. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 309 pp. doi:10.56021/9781421400938 · Hundertmark, K.J. 2015. Alces alces. IUCN. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-1.RLTS.T56003281A22157381.en
IUCN Red List status
Least Concern
Species Permalink
Country distribution map
The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.
Names and synonyms
Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details.
Total: 73 names and synonyms.
63 more names and synonyms available — use the desktop version to see them all.
Show 63 more names and synonyms
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