The Neighborhood Moose

By Autumn McPherson

Photo by Autumn McPherson

As residents and non-residents walk around campus during the winter, it is important to note the  surroundings.

On November 29th, in the early hours of the morning, a moose was spotted on the steps of the Stevens Dorm Hall on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. Seeing wild animals in areas of your living spaces can be intriguing and may prompt people to get close to either take pictures or see how close they can get to a wild animal. Even though it is an experience to be cherished, if you get to see such animals, it is important to stay a good distance from them (especially moose) to avoid possible harm they can cause you from being irritated or scared.

If you see a moose on campus with a calf, it is recommended to stay as far away as possible as they can be more protective when their young are near. They have bad eyesight so if you feel you need to run, start by slowly backing up, then run and pivot often as they have difficulty following you. If a moose is too close for comfort, then you can make noise and look for signs of fear as they will only attack when they feel threatened.

Seeing such beautiful animals is exciting, but it's important to respect them and their surroundings to prevent any possible danger to you or others, and to the animals themselves.