Moose

05/29/2006 English German

Edition # 61
San Francisco, 05-29-2006

Alaska Kayaking in the Arctic Ocean Commercial Fishermen Homesteading in the Wilderness Bushlines Alaska Permanent Fund Glacier Tours Bears Melting Glaciers Killer Whales Up Close and Personal Moose

Moose

Figure [1]: Bald eagle at the harbor entrance of Homer

Angelika In Alaska, there are now not only bears and lots of bald eagles (the national emblem of the USA) to admire, but also moose that are happily hopping through the landscape.

Especially when there is still snow in the higher elevations, they come close to human dwellings in the lower regions. However, moose are difficult to spot in a landscape that has not yet turned green, as their brown fur blends perfectly with the surroundings. But since I had often visited Finland in my early youth, I knew what we needed to look out for.

Figure [2]: A moose on a forest path near Anchorage

On the very first day, as we rode along the Coastal Trail in Anchorage with our rented bicycles, I spotted a huge moose leisurely nibbling on some branches at the edge of the forest. However, we were just speeding downhill, and I braked a bit abruptly, which not only forced Michael to make a sudden braking maneuver himself but also led to a few comments about my reckless riding style.

Moose do look somewhat innocently silly, which probably tempts some Alaska tourists to get too close to them, but we kept a respectful distance when we saw the animal's long legs. A six-year-old could have easily walked underneath them. While Michael was photographing the moose, some cyclists pedaled past us, and Michael gestured wildly to them that there was a moose in the forest. But they didn't even stop; they were probably locals. After two weeks of vacation and several more moose sightings, we also understood: spotting a moose is quite normal in Alaska.

Ice-cold greetings!

Angelika & Michael

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