New York’s Largest Mammal Caught Snacking on Trail Cam

There's big, and then there's BIG. How much do you know about New York's largest land animal?

You never know what can be happening under the cover of darkness in the New York wilderness. From the once-in-a-lifetime meeting of these three animals in the Adirondack woods to a black bear-turned thief in New Paltz, NY, it seems like the rules go out the window when the sun goes down. But what about the 1,200-pound snacking machine that was recently caught on camera?

Giant Moose Spotted in New York State

For the uninitiated, moose are not only the largest member of the deer family, but the largest land animal of any type in New York. While they are more often found in more northern parts of the state, there have been quite a few moose sightings in the Hudson Valley in recent years.

Moose in the Hudson Valley, NY

There have been anecdotal reports of moose in nearly every county in the Hudson Valley, including a juvenile who was caught on camera running through East Fishkill, NY in Dutchess county (above). While that animal was relatively small, the moose seen recently in the Adirondacks was on the complete opposite end of the spectrum (below).

The Diet of a New York Moose

It's almost counterintuitive to think that an animal the size of a moose can subsist on a diet of shrubs, branches, and leaves, but the secret isn't what they eat, but how much. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) reports that moose can consume upwards of 60 pounds of food every single day (below).

Tracking Moose Populations in New York State

The NYSDEC takes tracking moose populations in the state very seriously. To study survival rates of young moose in New York, a program was launched in partnership with local universities. By fitting the juveniles with GPS collars, scientists are more easily able to track their movements and their survival rates.

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Of course New York has its share of all kinds of "large" animals. While moose are the largest member of the deer family in the state, beavers are the largest rodent in New York. Check out the adorable Orange County, NY beaver family below, and keep scrolling to see all the Hudson Valley towns that have spotted a moose in their area.