The moose is the largest member of the deer family. A mature bull (a male moose) can stand as tall as two metres at the shoulder — that’s as tall as some professional basketball players!

Moose have big-muscled bodies, but their legs are long and thin, which help them walk through deep snow in winter, and wade in ponds and lakes, where they forage for plants during spring and summer. Most moose have something called a “bell”—a piece of fur-covered skin about 30 centimetres long that hangs from their throats.

They are great swimmers; swimming helps moose escape biting bugs, such as mosquitos, and to cool off in summer. Despite the moose’s large size and broad antlers, it can travel silently through the forest. The moose’s eyesight is poor, but they compensate for it with a good sense of smell and hearing.

Bull moose have big antlers that often span up to 1.5 metres. The antlers begin growing in midsummer and are at first soft and spongy. By late August or early September, when the antlers are fully developed, they are hard and bony — perfect for jousting as bulls compete for mates.