Are Moose Dangerous? Why Moose Can Be Riskier Than Bears

Why moose can be riskier than bears

The comparison with bears surprises many visitors. Bears are far more capable of causing serious harm, but encounters with them are relatively rare. Moose, by contrast, are numerous across much of their range and often wander into towns, gardens, school grounds and ski trails. In Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, hundreds of moose live in or around the city during winter.

More encounters means more chances for things to go wrong. People often underestimate moose because they look calm and slow, and they walk up for a photograph or let a dog run loose nearby. Most moose injuries are bruises or broken bones from being knocked down or kicked, and deaths from direct attacks are rare. Nevertheless, a moose’s size and powerful legs mean any charge should be taken seriously.

When moose are most likely to charge

Most incidents follow a clear pattern:

• Cows with calves. From late May into summer, a cow defends her calf fiercely. Walking between a mother and a calf is one of the riskiest things a person can do around wildlife. A calf seen alone may mean the cow is hidden nearby.
• Bulls in the rut. During the breeding season in late September and October, bulls are full of hormones, eat little and can be unpredictable.
• Moose bothered by dogs. Moose see dogs as wolves. A loose dog that barks at or chases a moose can provoke a charge, and the dog may then run back to its owner with the moose following.
• Hungry or harassed moose. In late winter, deep snow and poor food leave moose tired and irritable. Animals that have been chased, crowded on trails or fed by people may also lose their fear and become aggressive.

Moose are not territorial, and most simply walk away from people who give them space. Many charges are bluffs meant as warnings, but there is no reliable way to know in advance whether a charge will stop.

Warning signs of an upset moose

Moose often show their mood before they act. The best-known warning signs are:

A raised mane of hair over the shoulders is the clearest signal of all. When any of these signs appear, the moose is asking for more distance.

How a moose defends itself

A moose’s main weapons are its hooves. Its long legs and flexible joints let it strike forward with the front feet and kick out with the hind feet, even to the side. This is how moose drive off wolves and bears: adult moose regularly hold their ground against wolf packs, and cows have been seen chasing off bears that threatened their calves.

A large bull weighs about 380–700 kg (840–1,540 lb), and even a calf can weigh 135–180 kg (300–400 lb) by its first winter. Bulls can also use their antlers, mainly against other bulls. Details on size are in how big is a moose?

Moose on the road

For most people, the greatest danger from moose is not an attack but a collision with a vehicle. Moose often cross roads at dawn, dusk and at night, their dark coats are hard to see and their eyes often sit above the beam of headlights, so they rarely shine back. Because the heavy body stands on long legs, a car hitting a moose tends to knock the legs away so that the body strikes the windshield and roof, which is why such crashes are often serious.

Thousands of moose collisions happen every year in Sweden alone, and they are a well-known hazard in Norway, Finland, Alaska, Maine and Newfoundland. Moose are also attracted to roads in winter to lick road salt and to walk on cleared surfaces. Fenced highways, wildlife crossings, warning signs and lower speeds in moose country help reduce the risk. In Sweden, the famous “moose test” (älgtest) checks how well a car can swerve around a sudden obstacle.

Staying safe around moose

The key to safety is simple: give moose plenty of room and never approach them.

• Watch moose from a distance, ideally from a vehicle or with binoculars. Many parks advise at least 25 yards (23 m), and more for a cow with a calf.
• Never feed moose. Feeding teaches them to approach people and is illegal in Alaska.
• Keep dogs on a leash in moose country.
• If a moose is on a trail or path ahead, wait for it to move or choose another route rather than trying to pass close by.
• Drive more slowly at dawn, dusk and night where moose warning signs are posted.

If anyone is hurt by a moose or in a moose collision, seek emergency medical help immediately: call 911 in the US and Canada, 112 in the EU or 999 in the UK.

Myths and facts about moose danger

Myth: moose are gentle giants that never hurt anyone. Moose usually avoid trouble, but they can and do injure people every year, mostly when crowded or protecting calves.

Myth: moose are aggressive monsters. Also untrue. Most moose that meet people simply watch them or walk away. Problems nearly always start when people or dogs get too close. For more on the wildlife you may meet in the far north, see animals of Alaska.