Wildlife Services responds to moose fight near Anchorage Airport

Two bull moose but heads near the Anchorage Airport in Alaska, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016. Megan Baker, a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's Wildlife Services program was called to help. Baker works at the airport managing wildlife hazards and attempted to scare the moose away by firing paint balls at their hooves. However, when that did not work, Baker realized the best thing to do was to protect the gathering crowd from bulls. The fight lasted for more than an hour, and after, one of the bulls had wire tangled in his antler. Baker worked with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to tranquilize the moose and remove the wire. After he woke, the moose was able to return to the forest.

During the spring and fall, moose can be overly aggressive. Moose are known to rut during the fall and give birth in the spring. The best thing to do if you see a moose, at time of the year, is to enjoy it from a safe distance. If you have any questions about wildlife in your area contact Wildlife Services at (866) 4USDA-WS (866-487-3297).

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