Canada’s Yukon Territory is home to around 6,000 to 7,000 grizzly bears, living within the boreal forest, mountain alpine, and arctic tundra regions of the territory. They spend much of their lives searching for the most nutrient rich foods they can possibly find, eating everything from roots, berries, and grasses to small mammals, caribou, and moose.
The density of moose throughout the Yukon is naturally low. They’re hard to find from the highway, though they’ll occasionally be spotted crossing the roads or feeding in nearby ponds or meadows. Mother moose are extremely protective of their young, often considered more dangerous to people than bears.
In this case, though the grizzly bear seemed to have the upper hand in the chase, the mother moose managed to turn the tables on the predator and scare it away.
Both grizzly bears and moose can be very dangerous to humans if they aren’t respected. Both need to be given plenty of space. Colorado Parks and Wildlife recommends using the thumb test for moose: if you cannot cover the animal with your thumb with a fully extended arm, you’re too close. For grizzly bears it often depends on where you are, but generally at least 100 yards (300 feet) is recommended. Read more on moose safety below:
Wrangell – St Elias National Park Moose Safety Guidelines:
Give Moose plenty of room!
Enjoy viewing them from a distance. Cow moose are extremely defensive of their young so use extra caution around cows with calves.
In the summer months, moose blend in well to their environment and can be surprisingly hard to see for such large animals. They are likely to stand their ground even when they hear people approaching, so pay close attention to your surroundings, especially in prime moose habitat such as willow thickets or around streams or ponds.
If you do find yourself close to a moose
- If it hasn’t detected you yet, keep it that way.
- If it knows you’re there, talk to it softly and move away slowly.
- Don’t be aggressive – you want to convince the moose that you aren’t a threat.
- If you think the moose is going to charge you, take cover or run away.
Watch for signs that the moose is upset
If its ears are laid back and hackles are up it is likely to charge. Most of the time, when a moose charges it is a ‘bluff’, or warning for you to get back – a warning you should take very seriously! Once a moose bluff charges it is already agitated. If possible, get behind something solid (like a tree or a car).
Unlike with bears, it is okay to run from a moose.
