Moose A Bit Distressed In Heavy Denali NP Snow

Heavy snowfall that has filled Denali National Park is taking a toll on the moose population there. The park’s official Facebook page offered up some details on how moose are a bit distressed and also dangerous to humans:

Hang in there little moose buddies, we’re all pulling for you.

With the record-breaking snow we saw at the end of December, followed by consistent -40° temps, the moose around the park are highly stressed out. If you decide to visit soon, be on high alert for moose.

Anyplace where our amazing maintenance staff has plowed is a place that moose could be trying to get a break from the 5ft of snowpack that we received from these winter storms.If you are out and about in the park, stay vigilant, keep your head on a swivel, moose are dangerous.

Even though these are pretty big animals, they can be extremely quiet, if not downright sneaky, sometimes they seem to come out of nowhere. Be ready to run if needed.

Thinking about coming to the park soon? Give us a call and we’ll give you the rundown on what conditions are looking like and how to enjoy this place safely after these unprecedented snows. 907-683-9532 9 am – 4 pm AK time daily. (Or shoot us an email at denali_info@nps.gov)

In the meantime here are some tips to stay safe (repost from 1/7/21):

• Keep your head up and look around before you walk out the door or around the corner and especially while walking on trails or in the dark. moose can be anywhere and are often hard to see until you are too close.

• If you see a moose, alter your route and give them a very wide berth. Do not approach! If a moose charges, run away!• Don’t try to scare moose away. No yelling, clapping, or approaching on foot or by vehicle, no horn honking, to get them to move. This just makes them ornery and may result in a charge

.• Moose react dramatically to dogs so keep pets away to avoid harassment and minimize aggression and stress (to all).

• Slow down when driving. Hard snow berms act as a barrier and make it difficult for moose to get out of the way. Road surface conditions also make it challenging for you to avoid them.