HEAVY UTILIZATION OF WOODY PLANTS BY MOOSE DURING SUMMER AT DENALI NATIONAL PARK, ALASKA

• Main Authors: Van Ballenberghe, Victor, Miquelle, Dale G., MacCracken, James G.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Lakehead University 1989
• Subjects: Alces alces; Alaska
• Online Access: http://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/1187

Diet composition of wild adult moose (Alces alces) in Denali National Park, Alaska, during summer was estimated by direct observation of habituated animals and by microhistological fecal analysis. Both methods indicated that willows (Salix spp.) comprised about 80-85% of the diet during June, July, and August. Fecal analysis could not differentiate willow species; direct observations indicated moose were eating 7 willow species. About 46% of the summer diet consisted of diamondleaf willow (Salix planifolia pulchra). This species ranked first in the diet each month. Other woody species including resin birch (Betula glandulosa), and green alder (Alnus crispa) contributed small fractions to the diet. Herbaceous species constituted about 2% of the diet.