Moose

A cow moose and her calves are being watched by a grizzly bear in Denali National Park and Preserve.

NPS

Moose tend to live in forested areas that are often close to lakes and marshes and other waterbodies. They travel seasonally for calving, rutting, and wintering areas, sometimes covering as much as 60 miles. In the winter they remain in their territory, often in willow marshes, and form "yards"- they create paths in the deep snow as they paw for food. During the summer they graze on grasses, forbs, underwater vegetation, bushes, coniferous needles and deciduous leaves. Moose are very large, fast animals and are aggressive when disturbed, especially during the rut in late September to early October.

Adult moose can weigh between 700 and 1,400 pounds and are an important subsistence resource for many Alaskan families.

Monitoring Moose

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  Arctic Network

  Moose are an integral component of the boreal ecosystem in Arctic parklands.

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  Southwest Alaska Network

  Although not currently being monitored by the Southwest Alaska Network, we do work in cooperation with the state in fall surveys.

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  Central Alaska Network

  Moose are considered to be good indicators of long-term habitat change.