Moose - Alces alces

The moose is the largest North American animal in the deer family. This same animal is referred to as an "elk" in Northern Europe.

This is a huge animal. It can be up to 7 or 8 feet in height in northern Canada in Alaska and over 1,200 pounds. Moose found in Minnesota are more typically 1,000 pounds. The moose is dangerous in a couple ways. First of all, they are mostly docile creatures. But a female moose with a calf can be very aggressive when defending her young. Canoers, hikers and hunters in northern Minnesota have been charged when surprising a mother moose.

Also, because of its huge body mass and long, long legs, it is extremely dangerous for a car to hit a moose. The speeding car undercuts the moose's legs and then 1,000 pounds of moose come crashing through the car window without slowing down at the bumper or hood. Do a Google image search for "moose accident" and you'll see how bad it can be.

Moose are good swimmers and are known to dive underwater to get to the water plants that they prefer to eat. Their have splayed, wide hooves, which are good at walking through marshy, boggy areas.

Moose hunting was banned in Minnesota until 1972, but now selective hunting is allowed, keeping moose populations at an estimated 5,000 to 8,000 animals.