Moose have towering size, black color, long legs, hanging muzzle, and dewlap (called a bell) and wide, flat antlers of older bulls. The name moose is derived from the word moosh (“stripper and eater of bark”) in the Algonquian language of the Innu people of Quebec, Canada. In Europe moose are called elk. The largest moose specimens are found in Alaska and eastern Siberia; there bulls weigh 600 kg (1,300 pounds) and stand 2 metres (7 feet) tall at the shoulder. The smallest moose are found in its southernmost populations in Wyoming and Manchuria, where large bulls weigh 300–350 kg (660–770 pounds). Bull moose have antlers like other members of the deer family. The size and growth rate of antlers is determined by diet and age.

Moose typically inhabit boreal forests and temperate broadleaf and mixed forests. They can also be found near swamps, lakes, rivers, and wetlands, in open country in the lowlands and mountains, including farmland, if there is a forest nearby. Moose require habitat with adequate edible plants (e.g., pond grasses, young trees and shrubs), cover from predators, and protection from extremely hot or cold weather. Moose travel among different habitats with the seasons to address these requirements. Moose avoid areas with little or no snow as this increases the risk of predation by wolves and avoid areas with deep snow, as this impairs mobility.