Moose

The moose (pl.: 'moose'; used in North America) or elk (pl.: 'elk' or 'elks'; used in Eurasia) (Alces alces) is the only species in the genus Alces. The moose is the tallest, and the second-largest, land animal in North America, falling short only of the American bison in body mass. It is the world's tallest, largest and heaviest extant species of deer. Most adult male moose have broad, palmate ("open-hand shaped") antlers; other members of the deer family have antlers with a dendritic ("twig-like"), pointed configuration. Moose inhabit the circumpolar boreal forests or temperate broadleaf and mixed forests of the Northern Hemisphere, thriving in cooler, temperate areas as well as subarctic climates.

Hunting has shaped the relationship between moose and humans, both in Eurasia and North America; prior to the colonial era (around 1600-1700 CE), moose were one of many valuable sources of sustenance for tribal groups and First Nations. Hunting and habitat loss have reduced the moose's range and led to sightings of "urban moose" in some areas. There have been many reports of moose walking down city streets and of bulls sparring in suburban driveways. Females with young calves have been documented chasing vehicles to 'defend' their young, as well as relaxing in public parks or browsing plants in home gardens.

The moose has been reintroduced to some of its former habitats. Currently, the highest numbers occur in Canada, where they can be found in all provinces (excepting Nunavut and Prince Edward Island); additionally, substantial numbers of moose are found in Alaska, New England (with Maine having the most of the contiguous United States), New York State, Fennoscandia, the Baltic states, the Caucasus region, Belarus, Poland, Eastern Europe, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Russia. In the United States (outside of Alaska and New England), most moose are found further to the north, west and northeast (including Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming), and they have been documented as far south as western Oklahoma, northeastern Arizona and northwestern New Mexico.

Predominantly a browser, the moose's diet consists of both terrestrial and aquatic vegetation, depending on the season, with branches, twigs and dead wood being a large portion of their winter diet. Predators of moose include wolves, bears, humans, wolverines (rarely, though may take calves), and (rarely, if swimming in the ocean) orcas. Unlike most other deer species, moose do not form herds and are solitary animals, aside from calves who remain with their mother until the cow begins estrus again (typically 18 months after the birth of a calf), at which point the cow chases them away. Although generally slow-moving and sedentary, moose can become defensively aggressive, and move very quickly if angered or startled. Their mating season in the autumn features energetic fights between males competing for a female.