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When we think of deer, we imagine these graceful, lithe creatures quietly nibbling on berries and leaping though the wilderness. When we think of deer, we think of delicate, quivering creatures afraid of the slightest cracking twig. Well, guess what? Not all members of the deer family are so dainty. Move on over deer, here come your cousins the moose!

Moose are huge. There is no other way to put it. They can stand up to 6.5 feet (2 m) and can weigh over 1600 pounds! Their antlers also put the fear of God in smaller creatures-these appendages can weigh up to 50 pounds and exceed 60 inches in width. These antlers are covered with a nutrient rich skin called velvet, which is shed in early September and eaten by other bulls. The antlers themselves are shed in December or January, and new antlers will grow in by April.

Moose like to dip themselves in water. In fact, when they are submerged in a lake or pond, moose become very graceful and are good swimmers. The reason that they enjoy water so much is that they feed on the low bushes and trees that surround these bodies of water. Moose love to eat twigs and branches-the name “moose” is actually an Algonquin Indian word meaning “eater of twigs.” Cute, huh?

Like the trees they feed on, moose teeth show the age of the animal. If you were to examine the root portion of the incisor teeth, you would find a pattern of rings. Just like a tree, the moose’s tooth has rings that determine how old the moose is. However, it is not recommended to approach a moose, especially during mating season when it is more aggressive than usual.

Like deer, moose are vulnerable to the attacks of wolves and bears. Though they can run as quickly as 36 mph (58 km/h) for short distances, they have trouble escaping these predators. Observation studies have shown that black and grizzly bears account for up to 75% of the deaths of moose newborns in their first 2 months of life. Poor moose! Ticks also are problematic to the moose population. When a moose experiences a tick infestation, it will rub off the parts of its skin that are irritated.

When the depths of winter come around, the moose is unable to stay warm enough and perishes. Heavy tick infestations in combination with severe winter weather accounts for 50% of deaths in a moose population. Generally, however, a moose can expect to live for 5 to 6 years, although some moose have been known to reach 20 years of age!

So the next time you are hiking in Canada or wooded areas of Northern United States, keep an ear out for the call of the wild-your friend the moose may just be tromping through the bushes looking for twigs to munch on.