Moose eat so much, they may be worsening climate change

Moose in green grass.
(Image credit: Hawk Buckman / 500px / Getty Images)

Research has found that moose may actually be contributing to climate change. The mammal's enormous appetite (eating up to 60 pounds per day!) may actually be reducing forests' ability to store carbon, The Washington Post writes.

"It was really a surprise to see how much moose can influence vegetation growth, the carbon cycle, and the climate system," said co-author of the study Xiangping Hu in a news release. Moose reportedly consume 10 percent of the Norwegian forestry industry's yearly harvest as well as "alter land cover properties ... with direct implications for the climate," per the report.

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Devika Rao, The Week US

 Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.