A moose was apparently hungry, so he went inside an Alaska hospital and began chewing on plants
An apparent hungry moose caused quite a stir when it walked through the doors of Alaska's largest hospital in Anchorage Thursday — and began munching on plants in the lobby.
Video posted to social media showed the young moose chewing the leaves nonchalantly as security guards approached the moose inside Providence Alaska Medical Center.
"There's a moose in our hospital, guys," one witness said in a video posted on Facebook. "It's just chilling. Hungry."
"This is the best," another person is heard saying. "Like, what's the code for this?"
Although wildlife sightings are a normal occurrence on the hospital campus, there is no code for when a moose enters a building, Mikal Canfield, a spokesperson for Providence Alaska, told CBS News.
"Moose visit throughout the year and we see an occasional bear during the summer months," Canfield said, adding most are without incident. "This is the first time in recent memory that a moose has come inside."
The security team is seen on video moving the furniture around — and was eventually able to coax the moose back outside. A few people are heard cheering when the moose exited through the automatic doors.
After finding a patch of grass, it settled down for a nap, according to Canfield.
This isn't the first time a moose has found its way inside an Anchorage medical facility. A similar encounter occurred in January 2019 when a moose wandered into Alaska Regional Hospital.
CBS Anchorage affiliate KYES reported earlier this week that a woman was recently stunned when she let her dog out — leaving the door open a crack — only to come back and find a moose munching on plants inside the home.
"I think I stared at it for three to four seconds before it really dawned on me that he's really in my house," Barbara Nickels told the station.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game warns that although moose are perceived to be friendly and gentle, sometimes they can become dangerous.
During the fall mating season — or "in rut" — moose may be aggressive toward humans. In late spring and summer, moose with young calves are very protective and will attack humans who come too close. In addition, moose view dogs as a threat.
Officials say more people are injured by moose than bears in Alaska each year.
- In:
- Anchorage
- Alaska
Michael Roppolo is a CBS News reporter. He covers a wide variety of topics, including science and technology, crime and justice, and disability rights.
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