Six moose calves are calling for our attention, wanting milk. The morning rush at Tim Horton’s is nothing compared to this. My co-volunteer Brooke, whom I’ve been helping with the deer and moose feedings on occasion now, and I enter the moose pen. This is easier written than done as all six calves push against us, shouldering each other out of the way.
Moose are difficult to raise in human care. They are susceptible to diseases, easily get diarrhea and have very diverse food preferences, preferring to browse on a great variety of plants. Feeding the moose involves putting on clean, protective coveralls, gloves, and shoe covers so we don’t carry germs that might cause diseases into the enclosures.
Above the tangle of spindly moose legs the velvety, long-whiskered noses stab at me as I quickly grab two bottles and push the nipples into the closest calves’ mouths. The soft brown eyes lose the hungry expression and concentrate inward. The bottles empty within no time, and the two moose are like different animals, turning away with an almost bored expression on their faces. One of them folds her front legs and lies down.
By now, Brooke is an old pro at making moose get up: in order to digest the milk properly, moose calves should not lie down right after feeding. She pushes and pulls on the calf. “Come on, get up.” Reluctantly, the calf raises her bum into the air and pushes herself up on those impossibly long legs. “Let’s walk with them.”
The calves just stand and stare as we walk away from them, calling for them to follow. I break into a run, kicking up my legs in a poor imitation of a running moose. “Come on!” One takes a couple of steps forward, setting the other five moose into motion. Now they are all following me.
I leap through the tall grass and bushes in my coveralls and powder-blue booties, hooves thundering behind me. Through the underbrush we go, running for the tall spruces. I stop and turn around. All the moose calves stop immediately and stare at me. I start running again, and so do they, following me through the enclosure until we are back where we started.
Kevin Costner may have been dancing with wolves, I muse as Brooke and I tie fresh willow branches to the fence. But that can’t have been as much fun as running with moose.