A new video of a moose is creating some laughs as the animal lounges in the grass and scares several mountain bikers.
The clip was posted online by @louellarae. She calls Alaska home, so seeing a moose isn’t too much of a surprise. However, if you’re mountain biking down some single track and turn the corner, this large animal is enough to make you jump.
Here’s the clip:
In the video of a moose, you see the animal lounging in the grass. Shortly into the clip, one mountain biker passes the animal and begins to yell to warn another cyclist about the animal.
Comments on the post go from jokes like, “Do you think the moose say ‘biker’ every time one goes by?” to some concerns, with comments such as, “I mean, I want to see a moose in person but maybe not THIS close!”
Moose Safety
At easily over one thousand pounds, moose are some of the largest land mammals in North America. According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, even a newborn moose can be close to 40 pounds. The animals are found throughout the state. And even after somewhere between 6,000 and 8,500 are hunted each year, their numbers are still plentiful.
Besides their large size, they can also be dangerous. In Alaska, reports suggest there are at least 10 moose attacks a year. While they’re rarely fatal, attacks can leave people severely injured.
So what should you do if you see a moose?
The State of Alaska has this advice. If you see a moose, stay calm and back away slowly. You want to give them about 50 feet of space. Look for signs that it may attack, which include ears back, hair raised, grunting, or the animal stomping its feet. Try to get behind a tree, rock, or anything else nearby. Finally, if you have nowhere else to go and a moose hits you, curl up and play dead.
What would you do in this situation?