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An Anchorage woman was fined $320 for feeding pumpkins to a moose near her coffee shop. While it may seem like a harmless act of kindness, feeding moose during the winter months can actually be harmful to their digestive systems, and it’s also illegal.
The moose, which was spotted near the A Whole Latte Love coffee shop, was drawn in by the pumpkins thrown by the shop owner, Michelle Drury. A wildlife biologist at the Kenai Moose Research Center explained that feeding moose rich foods like pumpkins can lead to digestive issues and even be fatal, as their digestive systems are designed to handle roughage like twigs and tree bark during the winter months.
In addition to the health risks, feeding moose can also lead to aggressive behavior, as they will quickly learn to associate humans with food and may become more aggressive in their search for more. This can pose a danger to both the moose and humans who come into contact with them.
Despite these consequences, some people may still feel tempted to feed moose out of concern for their well-being during the winter. However, the biologist reassured that moose have plenty of reserves from their summer forage to get them through the winter, and they do not need human intervention to survive.
As for Michelle Drury, she claims that the pumpkins were accidentally thrown out of her van and that she did not intentionally feed the moose. She plans to fight the citation she received for the incident.
In conclusion, while it may be tempting to feed moose during the winter months, it’s important to refrain from doing so in order to protect both the animals and the people around them.
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