This picture, circa the mid-1980s, shows biologist Will Staats surrounded by scarred saplings. What, specifically, caused this damage?
Answer
The vertical scrapes on these saplings were made by moose—not by antlers but by teeth. Moose eat a variety of plants, but tree bark is a winter favorite. In most cases, moose loosen the tree bark with their front/side incisors (they only have teeth on their bottom jaw), get a good grip on it, and then peel the bark off in a long strip. You can tell teeth nicks from antler nicks because if you look closely, you can actually see the tooth marks on the wood. Favorite species include aspen and maple, but they’ll try anything with smooth bark.
This week’s contest winner was Donna Mackie