The Moose

One of the most common and well known animals in the Jackson area is the moose. Moose do not live in herds, I have never seen more than four moose in one area. This year a moose and her calf spent a lot of time in and around my backyard. They look very friendly, however moose are one of the most dangerous animals in my back yard. They will not bother you if you do not bother them. Moose are very strong, fast, and protective of their calves. They will charge you if they feel the slightest bit of threat from you. They love to eat willow trees and bushes and graze on the tall grasses in our back yard. The moose population has decreased significantly since the reintroduction of the Canadian wolves to Yellowstone since the late 1980’s. Wolf packs target calf’s and the weak then kill and feed off of them. The moose have very unique joints in their legs that allow them to walk easily through deep snow. They like to live near water, and do not seem to be bothered by the large herds of elk that share the same habitat as the moose live in. Moose do not like dogs, they will charge dogs if they are provoked. There are a lot of animals to see in Jackson, but the moose are the most interesting to me.