Urban Animals - Art Gallery of Alberta

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The Alberta Foundation for the Arts Travelling Exhibition Program Animal Studies: Moose continued The Moose is the second largest land animal in both North America and Europe. Only the American Bison is larger. On average an adult moose stands 1.8-2.1 m (6-7 feet) high at the shoulder. Males weigh 380-720 kg (850-1580 pounds) while females weigh 270-360 kg (600- 800 pounds). The largest of all is the Alaskan subspecies which can stand over 2.1 m (7 feet) at the shoulder, has a span across the antlers of 1.8 m (6 feet) and averages 634.5 kg (1,396 lbs) in males and 478 kg (1,052 lbs) in females. Moose are generally solitary animals with the strongest bonds between mother and calf. Mating occurs in September and October. The males are polygamous and will seek several females to breed with. During this time both sexes will call to each other and males will fight other males for access to females. Female moose have an eight-month gestation period, usually bearing one calf, or twins if food is plentiful, in May or June. Newborn moose have fur with a reddish hue in contrast to the brown colouring of an adult. The young will stay with the mother until just before the next young are born. A full-grown moose has few enemies. Siberian Tigers, Brown Bears, American Black Bears, Cougars and Wolves, however, do pose threats to calves, juvenile moose, and sick animals. Moose are also hunted as game species in many of the countries in which they are found. Jason Carter The City Moose, 2012 Acrylic on canvas Collection of the artist AFA Travelling Exhibition Program, Edmonton, AB. Ph: 780.428.3830 Fax: 780.421.0479 youraga.ca
The Alberta Foundation for the Arts Travelling Exhibition Program Animal Studies: Prairie Dog Prairie dogs are burrowing rodents native to the grasslands of North America. The five different species are: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison’s, Utah and Mexican prairie dogs. They are a type of ground squirrel found in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Prairie dogs are named for their habitat and warning call, which sounds similar to a dog’s bark. The name was in use at least as early as 1774. The black-tailed prairie dog was first described by Lewis and Clark during their expedition of 1804. Lewis described it in more detail in 1806, calling it the ‘barking squirrel’. Jason Carter The Prairie Dog, 2012 Acrylic on canvas Collection of the artist Prairie dogs are chiefly herbivorous, though they eat some insects. They feed primarily on grasses. They also will eat roots, seeds, fruit and buds. Grasses of various species are eaten. On average these rodents will grow between 30 and 40 centimetres (12 to 16 inches) long and weigh between 1 and 3 pounds. Prairie dogs mainly live in altitudes ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 feet above sea level. The areas in which they live can get as warm as 100 degrees F in summer and as cold as -35 degrees F in winter. Their regions are also prone to environmental threats such as hailstorms, blizzards, and floods as well as drought and prairie fires. Their burrows are thus very important in providing protection for the animals. Prairie dog burrows are 5-10m (16-33 feet) long and 2-3m (6-10 feet) below the ground. The entrance holes are generally 10-30 cm (4-12 inches) in diameter. There can be up to six entrances which can be simply flat holes in the ground or can be surrounded by mounds of dirt that are either left as piles or packed down hard. Some mounds, known as dome craters, can be as high as 8-12 inches above ground. Others, known as rim craters, can be as high as 1 meter. Dome and rim craters serve as observation posts which the animals use to watch out for predators. They also function to protect the burrows from flooding. Prairie dog burrows contain chambers to provide certain functions. They have nursery chambers for thier young, chambers for night and chambers for the winter. They also contain air chambers that may function to protect the burrow from flooding and a listening post for predators. Prairie dogs are highly social and live in large colonies or ‘towns’ which can span hundreds of acres. The prairie dog family groups are the most basic units of its society. Members of a family group inhabit the same territory and a prairie dog town may contain 15-26 family goups. The average prairie dog territory takes up 0.05-1.01 hectares. Territories have well established borders that coincide with physical barriers like rocks and trees. Most prairie dog family groups are made up of one adult breeding male, two to three adult females and one to two male offspring and one to two female offspring. AFA Travelling Exhibition Program, Edmonton, AB. Ph: 780.428.3830 Fax: 780.421.0479 youraga.ca
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Urban Animals - Art Gallery of Alberta

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