"The moose (驼鹿) is odd and awkward to look at. Why should it stand so high at the shoulders Why have so long a head" The 19th-century writer of those words, Henry David Thoreau, was hardly alone in his comment of the moose. Moose"s funny appearance makes us think that it is clumsy and slow-witted. Is that true Researchers in North America have uncovered many facts about this unusual animal.
No one denies that the moose is a giant. Adult moose can grow as high as 1.5 to 2 meters, and weigh as much as 816kg. Although it has long legs that make it seem foolish, it can run up to 55km per hour, and those legs can kick off an entire pack of wolves. Moose is vegetarian. It feeds on woody plants, leaves and water plants. It learns to swim within days of birth, and they have been observed swimming for miles and diving to a depth of nearly 6 meters to feed on water plants!
A moose can move its eyes and detect motion almost directly behind it without turning its head. Its nose is also an effective tool. Researchers suggest that because the moose"s nostrils(鼻 孔) are far apart, they may give it the unusual ability to locate the objects on a 3D scale. The moose"s hearing adds another merit to its sensory package. Its ears can turn to all directions, and they can pickup sounds from other moose as far as 3 km away!
Baby moose tend to be curious and carefree. Their mothers protect them by providing tender and loyal care. They will attack any who are too close to their young, including wolves, bears, and even humans. Finally, when the young is about a year old and its mother is newly pregnant, the mother aggressively drives it away so that it can begin caring for itself. We can conclude from the last paragraph that mother moose ______.