Wildlife biologists in the U.S. state of Alaska are collecting genetic material from moose in an attempt to get a correct count of the big animals. The counting is being done in Alaska’s largest city, Anchorage. Many moose are found within the limits of the city of 300,000 people. But officials are not sure how many moose pass through the area.

The counting process is not easy. The animals continually move and the city covers an area of over 5,000 square kilometers. In the past, officials used low-flying airplanes to watch for moose on the ground to estimate numbers. But rules from the city’s airport now bar such flights.

So Alaska’s Department of Fish and Game is experimenting with a new method for counting the city’s moose. They are collecting genetic material called DNA from the animals. They say this will permit them to get better estimates and identify each individual moose without having to capture them.

Biologists sought help from the public during their three-day project last month. They asked people to call or send text messages to report when they saw a moose. Teams of moose trackers then quickly drove to the areas.

The teams shot the moose with special darts designed to capture small pieces of skin and hair. The darts are weighted so they fall off the moose and can be collected. Researchers say the darts do not hurt the animals. The skin and fur are then taken to a laboratory to be studied.

Aliqismet BADALOV,

“Khalq qazeti”