Moose, Bears, and Traffic

By Jeremy Shere

Posted February 27, 2025

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Y: If you were a pregnant, female moose, Don, where would you want to give birth: deep in the forest or near a road with cars whizzing by.

D: Wait a sec, Yael . . . you're comparing me to a pregnant moose?

Y: No, it's just a hypothetical . . .

D: Weird . . .

Y: I know, but just go with it . . . where would you want to give birth?

D: Uh . . . well, channeling my inner pregnant moose, I'd have to go with deep in the forest. I mean, why would I want to have a baby moose near traffic?

Y: Because deep in the forest you might run into a grizzly bear who could eat you and your calf.

D: Ah . . . then I guess I'd better go with the road. By why is that any better?

Y: Because researchers in Grand Teton National Park have found that bears there shy away from roads. So as the park's bear population has grown, Grand Teton moose have gravitated toward human traffic when they want to avoid bears. Some moose have given birth as close as fifty yards from the road.

D: Huh. Why don't bears like cars?

Y: I don't know. But the researchers think that the bears will eventually overcome their fear of cars and start hunting moose no matter how close they are to roads.

D: That sounds bad for moose.

Y: But good for bears.

(Image by Adobe Stock)

If you were a pregnant, female moose, where would you want to give birth: deep in the forest or near a road with cars whizzing by? Chances are, you would want to go with deep in the forest. But, why would you want to have your baby moose near traffic? Of course, in the forest, you might run into a grizzly who could eat you and your calf. So, maybe the road is a better choice.

Researchers in Grand Teton National Park have found that bears there shy away from roads. So as the park's bear population has grown, Grand Teton moose have gravitated toward human traffic when they want to avoid bears. Some moose have given birth as close as fifty yards from the road. All thanks to the fact that bears don't like traffic.

The researchers think that the bears will eventually overcome their fear of cars and start hunting moose no matter how close they are to roads, but for now, it seems like the safest spot for these pregnant moose.

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