Moose (Alces alces) is the world's largest member of the deer family. The Alaska race (Alces alces gigas) is the largest of all the moose.

Moose are long-legged and heavy bodied with a drooping nose, a "bell" or dewlap under the chin, and a small tail. Newborn calves weigh 28 to 35 pounds (13-16 kg) and within five months grow to over 300 pounds (136 kg). Males in prime condition weigh from 1,200 to 1,600 pounds (542-725 kg). Adult females weigh 800 to 1,300 pounds (364-591 kg). Only the bulls have antlers.  Moose occasionally produce trophy-size antlers when they are 6 or 7 years old, with the largest antlers grown at approximately 10 to 12 years of age. In the wild, moose rarely live more than 16 years

Moose are generally associated with northern forests in North America, Europe, and Russia. In Alaska they are most abundant in recently burned areas that contain willow and birch shrubs, on timberline plateaus, and along the major rivers of Southcentral and Interior Alaska.