The moose is the largest member of the deer family, and the Alaska Yukon or tundra moose (Alces alces gigas) is the largest member of the moose clan. Adult males can reach a height of three metres and weigh almost 700 kilograms. The Alaska Yukon moose’s slightly smaller cousin, the woodland moose (Alces alces andersoni) can also be found in the Yukon, particularly in the southern part of the territory. The Yukon’s total moose population is estimated at about 50,000.
The Alaska Yukon moose occurs throughout the Yukon, wherever there is suitable habitat. Moose like wetlands and bogs, or shrubby areas with plenty of twigs and leaves, and shade or cover to get out of the sun and feel secure. The few moose on the Yukon's North Slope stick to narrow strips of forest along the rivers that run down to the arctic coast. In the southern Yukon, about two thirds of all moose are found at treeline in the subalpine shrub zone. Other moose concentrate in recent burn areas, and along waterways with interconnecting marshes, ponds, and streams.
Moose browse on twigs, leaves, shrubs, and other plants, both on land and in the water. In a single day, an adult can consume about 20 kilograms of food. Their large overhanging snouts have self-sealing nostrils that allow the animals to browse under water. It is quite a sight to see an apparently-headless moose grazing in a shallow lake. The animals come up frequently for air and to look around, but their eyesight is poor and they rely on their acute senses of smell and hearing to warn them of predators.
Moose calves are born in late spring, from mid-May to mid-June, and are especially vulnerable to predators in their first few weeks. Of the moose calves born in the southwest Yukon’s subalpine zone, about half fall prey to grizzly bears before they are eight weeks old. Wolves also prey on moose, particularly calves, throughout the territory and throughout the year. If cornered, a moose’s powerful front legs can be deadly weapons.