On Sunday, a cow moose charged two men in Homer, Alaska, attacking and killing one of them. While one man escaped with no injuries, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety, the other man died. A spokesperson identified the victim as Dale Chorman, a 70-year-old wildlife photographer. His family said he knew the risks and died doing what he loved.
Moose attacks are rare. This particular animal felt threatened by the men, who were walking through the brush hoping to photograph the moose cow’s newborn twins when the moose charged. In an interview with AP News, a spokesperson for the Alaska Department of Public Safety said the men tried to run away as soon as they realized what was happening, but the moose caught up with Chorman.
A friend of the Chorman family, Tom Kizzia, spoke to AP about the incident, saying: “There was no evident trampling [and] the medical examiner’s going to try to figure out exactly what happened, whether it was just single blow in the terrible wrong place or something.”
Chorman was pronounced dead at the scene.
AP reports that the family does not want the moose put down, since she was just protecting her calves.
Are Moose Aggressive?
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game says most moose charges are bluffs. “But if a moose does charge, don’t wait to find out if it’s bluffing,” the department says on its website. “Run and get behind something solid, like a tree, or retreat to a safe place, like inside a building or car.”
By all accounts, Chorman was a responsible wildlife photographer who knew what he was doing. Sadly, in this unpredictable moment, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.