Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Moose



Count-down:  32 days until departure for Alaskan Adventure

Alaskan Bull moose, Wikipedia Commons

When I think of Alaska, I think of a land of mystery.  A frozen world with hidden dangers, savage predators, and savage weather.  Of close encounters with bears and icy precipices.  I don’t often think about moose.  

I actually love moose, I’ve always wanted to see one, they’re just not on my “Think of First” list.  A couple of years ago we were out in Yellowstone and I kept searching for moose but we never saw one and I was a little disappointed.  I guess in Wyoming the moose is elusive.

In Alaska, moose are a common sight.  In fact according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, more people in Alaska are injured by moose each year than bears.  (Yay! I’d much rather meet a moose than a bear.)  In order to stay safe they advise that you recognize when a moose is agitated.  

Here are some things which make a moose agitated:

Being hungry
Dogs barking
Tired of walking through deep snow
Children or adults throwing snowballs at them
Traffic
Hmm, all those things make me agitated too.  

An angry Alaskan moose Wikipedia Commons

Their advice on what to do if a moose charges at you?  Unlike with bears, you should run, as fast as you can.  But since moose can run at speeds up to 35 miles an hour and the fastest human on the planet, Usain Bolt, Olympic gold medalist, can currently only run at about 28 mph for 100 meters, they suggest you find something to hide behind; like a tree.  A tree sounded good until I remembered that some moose have antlers up to 6ft wide and can weigh 1600 lbs.  I guess look for a giant tree.  



Other Moose facts:

Largest of the elk family
Great swimmers, even underwater for short periods
Mostly solitary
Eat land and aquatic plants

If you want to read more about moose check these out:

National Geographic- human running speed


Kathy :)


I can’t believe today is the halfway point for the A-Z!  I’ve had so much fun reading everyone’s posts. I just wish I could get to everybody!

13 comments:

  1. Hope you don't have to run from a moose.

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  2. How dumb (and mean) would you have to be to throw snowballs at an animal this size? Hope you see lots of moose!

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  3. This post made me think of this bit of silly:

    "If called by a panther, don't anther." - Ogden Nash

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  4. Moose, mooses, meese... Just carry some aquatic plants in your pants...you know...for emergency moosage.

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  5. I would not want to come across a moose. Agitated or not. haha

    David's comment made me laugh. :P

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  6. Hmm... The first thing I thought of was Invader Zim and a room with a moose.
    I'm not sure what that says about me.

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  7. Alex- Me too!

    Julie- I know, that's what I thought!

    Huntress- Lol! That's cute.

    David- Haha! :)

    Chris-I want to see some but from far away

    Andrew- I had to look that up! :)

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  8. Being excited is like looking at the lunar eclipse last eve and the moon was red...
    Thank you,
    Susan
    Garden of Eden Blog

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  9. Great post on Moose, Kathy. I too was wondering about the plural - Meese? Your upcoming trip to Alaska sounds very exciting! remember to look at the moon in those northern regions!
    Other Susan

    Garden of Eden Blog

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  10. Yeah, these would scare me. But would be amazing as well!

    Sarah Allen
    (From Sarah, With Joy)

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  11. Having fun visiting blogs on the 15th day of the #atozchallenge. Have a great trip. If you have time or interest, I am writing about gardening and related topics this month. Come visit.

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  12. The list of things that irritate a moose would also irritate me!

    -L.G. Keltner, minion in Captain Alex's Ninja Army
    http://lgkeltner.blogspot.com/
    http://warpednerdiversity.blogspot.com/

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  13. Watch out for those moose! They're much bigger than you and have horns. That just seems dangerous.

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