Moose use 'human shield' to avoid hungry bears

[TZH]

 

Why did the pregnant moose approach the road? To give birth away from hungry grizzly bears, according to researchers who say expectant moose have learned that roads provide a relative safe-haven for their new-born calves.

 

Joel Berger of the US Wildlife Conservation Society says his team's findings demonstrate how protected nature reserves can alter animal behaviour in unexpected ways.

 

For 10 years, starting in 1995, Berger and colleagues tracked female moose in and around Grand Teton National Park in north-west Wyoming, US.

 

Each year, the team put radio transmitters on between 18 and 25 female moose, about three quarters of which were usually pregnant. They also monitor the behaviour of the moose by following them on the ground.

 

As the years went by, the team noticed a peculiar trend: "Pregnant moose would drop their calves closer and closer to roads," says Berger, who admits that he did not expect to spot such a trend at the outset. "It was just one of those dumb blind-luck situations," he says.

 

Full version>

This article comes from: http://e.ygddai.com/science/environment/200710/Moose_use__human_shield__to_avoid_hungry_bears_3130.html

[DrDNA]

Any idea how this effects the number of collisions between motor vehicles and moose?

 

I know that it was Wyoming where the automobile density is probably quite low, but I suspect that we might expect similar behaviour in slightly more populated/traveled areas.

[YT2095]

I can just imagine the Bear on the other side of the road shouting over "Get back here you coward, what are you... a Man or a Moose?"

 

it was there all the time! someone had to say it