Here’s an animal riddle. Ready? If the animal is male and mature, it's called
a bull. Females are cows, and both male and female
babies are calves. Any guesses? Yep, I'm talking about the moose! You read the title of this thing before you
clicked on it. You already knew I wasn’t going to be talking
about porcupines. Moose aren't afraid of us humans, and therefore,
don't usually run away at the sight of people. This fact makes it all the more tempting to
approach a moose - to touch, to pet, to feed. Unfortunately, that can turn out to be a grave
mistake. Underline grave. First let’s clear something up. Two gooses may be called geese, but two mooses
are not called meese. Nor are they mooses. Nope, the plural of moose is still moose. Just so ya know. By nature, moose (singular and plural) aren't
normally aggressive toward people. But if you provoke one, the consequences can
be fatal. Just like most living beings on this planet,
moose will do anything to protect their babies or their territory once they decide that you're
threatening them. Don't buy into the misconception that because
moose look kinda bored and slow, they’re sluggish. In fact, you're unlikely to outrun these animals
should one of them decide to attack: their speed can reach 30 miles per hour! When a moose attacks, it uses both its hoofs
and its whole body weight (which can be around 1,300 pounds!) to knock the offender to the
ground and crush them. Really? Bullwinkle!!! So, let's say you're enjoying a nice forest
walk when suddenly... Oh my, is that a moose in your path? Are you supposed to keep walking? Or is it time to back off? Watch out for these particular signs:
- the moose is staring at you; - its ears are laid back, and the hair on
its neck, hips, and hump is standing on end; - it lowers its head and starts to walk toward
you; - all the while, it's licking or smacking
its lips and clicking its teeth; - you can see the whites of its eyes;
- it urinates all of a sudden; (well I know that feeling)
- not unlike a horse, it whips its head back. If you see all these signs, or at least several
of them, it's a sure sign the moose is about to attack. However, the most dangerous thing about this
animal is that occasionally, it may just charge at you out of the blue, without any warning! That's why you should always remember that
a moose is a wild animal and it's unwise to disturb it. On top of that, there are several seasons
when moose tend to be more aggressive than usual. It happens:
- in the winter when animals are starving and exhausted from trudging through deep snow;
- in late spring and early summer when cows are overprotective of their newborn calves;
- and in the fall during the breeding season. That's when bulls get extremely frantic and
competitive. So hopefully, you'll never have to apply this
knowledge, but better safe than sorry. But what should you do as soon as you realize
that a moose isn't going to ignore you, and an attack is imminent? - Do NOT try to intimidate or scare the moose
- it won't work. Back off and run as fast as you can. Try to hide behind the nearest tree, building,
or fence that can serve as a barrier between you and the furious animal. - If the moose has managed to knock you to
the ground, curl up in a tight ball, and it’s not because he wants to play soccer. If the animal keeps kicking you or starts
stomping, this position will help to protect your head and other vital organs. - Don't rush to get up from the ground as
soon as it seems like the moose has left. Wait until it's a good distance away. If you get to your feet too early, the animal
may return and attack you again. But you probably won't argue that the best
way to avoid problems with a moose is not to end up in a situation when it can get aggressive. And here are some preventative moose safety
tips: - Do NOT approach a moose too closely. If you want to observe these animals, watch
them from a safe distance of at least 50 feet. - If you meet a moose on a trail, say “hi”
– no -- swallow your pride and change directions. Moose aren't great at stress management; that's
why, if they see people coming up too closely, they may start panicking and can charge. - Do NOT feed a moose. These animals are quite demanding, and if
a moose decides that you haven't shared as much food as it expected, its anger will be
terrifying. (like kids at McDonalds when you didn’t
supersize it) This giant may become very aggressive and even harm people who won't feed it in
the future. - If you're walking in the forest with your
dog, keep it on a leash. A moose can mistake your pooch for a wolf
and attack it. - Never walk between a moose mother and her
baby. If you notice you've unwittingly done it,
back away immediately! Maybe it's not too late! - If you're driving, and a moose decides to
cross your path, let it go first. If you try to go around the animal or move
it, the moose is likely to attack your car. And you shouldn't forget that a mature male
can be taller than a horse, and its antlers usually span for up to 5 feet and weigh more
than 65 pounds! However, the moose is one of the least dangerous
(if not provoked) animals you can come across when walking in the forest. Things may take a turn for the worse if you
encounter, let's say, a bear. - There are several rules that apply to all
kinds of bears. For example, never come up to a female bear
with cubs. These ladies are mega-protective of their
little ones, and are much more likely to attack you than males. - Show the bear that you're not prey. Come to think if it, praying might be a good
idea! But in either case, do NOT make any high-pitched
noises and don't scream - you might agitate the bear even more. If you wave your arms, do it slowly. If you decide to talk some sense into the
bear, do it in a calm and low voice. If you know what exactly you would say to
the bear, tell me about down in the comments. - Without taking your eyes off the bear, start
to move sideways, it’ll keep you from tripping and falling down. Don’t rush or run away. Although, at first sight, bears may look clumsy
and heavy-footed, they're surprisingly good runners. But what makes matters even worse is these
animals love chasing their prey. That's why, if a bear charges after you, stop
moving altogether. - Now, it's time to go into detail. If the animal you've met is a brown bear (meaning
it has brown fur, an impressive size, and a prominent lump between its shoulders), play
dead. Drop to the ground on your stomach, cover
your neck with your hands, and spread your legs apart - this way, it’ll be hard for
the bear to flip you over. Don't get up until the bear loses interest
and leaves. If it doesn't, grab the nearest branch or
rock and attack the bear yourself, repeatedly hitting it in the face. - But if you encounter a black bear, playing
dead won't help you. In this case, find shelter in some building
or a car. If there are no hiding places nearby, grab
some heavy object and repeatedly hit the bear in the face. If you've encountered a wolf or a wild cat,
- try to make yourself look larger to intimidate the animal. Open your jacket, wave your hands, or jump
up and down. - Like with bears, don't scream or make high-pitched
noises. If you have to speak, use a low, confident
voice. - Never turn your back to the animal or run. It’ll provoke an attack. While keeping eye contact with the animal,
slowly back away. - Do NOT bend over or crouch down, even if
you need to pick something up. Otherwise, wolves and wild cats will assume
that you're weak, small, and not threatening. If you're with kids, try to pick them up without
lowering your body. - If you can reach a rock or a branch without
having to bend over, throw it in the direction of the animal to scare it away. - If the animal charges at you, do your best
to remain standing, and use any heavy object you can find to fend the animal off until
it flees. So there you have it, mooses and wolves and
bears, oh my… Finally, my favorite kind of moose is actually
Chocolate. Yep. Chocolate mousse. Lemon mousse is actually pretty good too. Give it a shot. How about you? Have you ever encountered a chocolate mousse
or a real moose, or any other wild animal? Write about your experience down in the comments! If you learned something new today, then hey
-- give this video a like and share it with a friend. But don't go moussing your hair just yet! We have over 2,000 cool videos for you to
check out. All you have to do is pick the left or right
video, click on it, and enjoy! Remember: Stay on the Bright Side of life!
