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.