The world’s falling apart. But sometimes, for the sake of our sanity, we just need shit like this.
Watch out for moose who like to lick vehicles.
That’s a warning from the Alberta government for people visiting Peter Lougheed Provincial Park about 130 kilometres west of Calgary.
Alberta Parks says moose are on the trails at Chester Lake and Burstall Pass and are coming into the trailhead parking lots to lick salt off the sides of vehicles.
The government advises people to sound their horn to try to get the salt-lickers away from their vehicles.
It also warns to not try to push a moose away from the vehicle.
In Canada, a female moose weighs an average of 750 to 926 pounds and a male moose averages between 992 and 1,102 pounds.
Alberta Parks issued the warning Tuesday and ask people report any aggressive moose encounters to them.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
-Shiv
I’d really hope that would go without saying, but apparently not. I *love* stories like this. Maybe putting out salt blocks would be good. That said, what’s the moose magic that keeps their tongues from sticking?
@Caine
When I saw the headline, I thought that would be the actual problem. Trying to return to your car and finding a new 800 pound attachment stuck to the side.
I’m trying to imagine the person who gets close enough to be within trampling distance, sees how huge and unafraid the creature is, and still thinks it is a good idea to push. a. moose. 5-7 feet high at their shoulder, then add a neck, head, and rack. That’s.. that’s a wild animal bigger than a horse. With antlers. And a bug up its butt about personal space. Do Not Push!
I’ve never been licked by a moose (or, rather, my vehicle (though I have been licked by mice, rabbits, cats, dogs, a mule deer, goats, enwhays, cows, wife, horses, etc.)), but I have had my vehicle licked by cows. I was at a roadblock in the middle of nowhere. Each day, a herd of Charlerois heifers came through — each day at about 1:00pm — and, from the time the herd showed up until it had drifted past — about an hour — at least three cows were licking my truck. The only thing on it was dust from the 31 miles of dirt road to get to the roadblock.
Having hit a moose (once) and almost hit a moose (once), I have a hard time picturing anyone trying to push a moose out of the way. They are big.
The moose tongue is much more thick and massive than a human tongue, it may not freeze onto car sheet metal.
Pushing a moose, even if the adult males have dropped their antlers by now, would be hugely reckless.
Here in Finland, landowners and hunters use salt licks specifically tailored for moose (in addition to table salt, micronutritient content optimal for the moose) to direct the animals away from roads, fields and forest areas with recently planted saplings.
I didn’t know the plural of moose was moose.
(Glad I found out before embarrassing myself talking about mooses.)
@ Silentbob:
HAHAHA “mooses” ho ho ho, hee hee hee! How silly of you….
Here in Canada, we all KNOW that the plural of moose is “meese”!
Why, I’ve got a whole heard of meese grazing outside in my back yard even as I type….
This made my morning.