Dale Chorman and a friend went in search of a cow moose and its two newborn calves on his property.

An Alaskan man has been killed by a moose that charged suddenly while he was trying to take photographs of its two calves.

Dale Chorman, 70, was caught off guard as the animal attacked on his property in the town of Homer.

His son said he realised the moose was protecting its offspring and did not want the animal killed.

Moose attacks are rare but the animals can become aggressive if provoked.

A cow moose is typically very protective of its young and will attack if a human gets too close

Moose are the largest of the deer family and the Alaska moose is the largest of its kind.

It can grow to nearly six feet (182cm) tall and females can be as heavy as 57 stone (362kg).