‘What’s the code for this?’ Moose wanders into Providence hospital lobby in Anchorage

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Moose in Southcentral have been popping up in unexpected places lately — from a living room in Soldotna to the lobby of a Providence Alaska facility on Thursday.

According to staff, the moose walked in the front door of a lobby at Providence Health Park in Anchorage’s U-Med District after sighting decorative potted plants through the panels of glass on the front of the building.

Patients, health care staff and security officers then watched as the moose — a youngster of about a year old — walked straight up to what appeared to be a type of umbrella tree and sampled a few of the stems.

Even though most Alaskans are used to seeing the monstrous mammals, the presence of one inside the hospital’s lobby was a surprise for those inside.

“There’s a moose in our hospital, guys,” one person could be heard saying on a video posted to social media. “It’s just chillin’. Hungry.”

Another witness in the video comments, “This is the best. Like, what’s the code for this?”

Security officers pushed large pieces of furniture like couches and chairs toward the moose to urge the ungulate towards the building’s exit. Some bystanders even grabbed now-broken branches off the lobby floor to tempt the moose with a treat, eventually leading it towards the door and back outside.

The encounter with the moose is a good reminder that although they’re adorably awkward and look friendly, moose can be very dangerous to humans.

According to the state’s Department of Fish and Game, more people are injured by moose than bears in Alaska each year. Moose tend to be more aggressive when “in rut” during the breeding season of early autumn or when protecting their young. Moose also tend to view dogs as a threat, and will sometimes charge at dogs on trails or even in backyards. Owners should check their backyards for moose at night before letting their dogs out, and practice awareness while on a walk.

But just because you can see a moose doesn’t mean it can see you. In mammals, the brain processes visual information received by the eye’s rods and cones. Because moose have fewer cones than humans, they are unable to interpret as much visual information — namely colors — as people do. Instead of vibrant hues, moose see most of the world in shades of gray. Yellows and blues do stand out to them, but red and green shades are harder for them to interpret — much like humans who have red-green colorblindness.

A moose that is ready to attack will raise the long hairs on the hump on its back. The ADF&G also advises that it may lick its lips too — but “if you can see this, you are way too close.” They also remind that it is illegal to feed wildlife, as well as dangerous.

Despite being seen without its mother, it is likely that the moose that infiltrated the hospital campus is not in danger. The Department of Fish and Game reminds Alaskans that most unaccompanied young moose are not orphaned, but those with concerns about moose or other wildlife can report encounters on the department’s website.

In January 2019, a moose found its way into the lobby of an office on the campus of Alaska Regional Hospital.

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