When an Alaskan man encountered a baby moose in distress near Clam Gulch on the Kenai Peninsula, he knew he had to act. The moose calf had been trying to get over a guardrail to join his mother for nearly half an hour, his little legs tired and wobbly.
So, an avid outdoorsman and registered hunting guide, Joe Tate took the lead in a daring rescue operation that could have quickly gone awry. Tate had been returning from a fishing trip with friends when they noticed the stranded calf.
They knew it was a delicate situation – mother moose are known to be fiercely protective of their young. As traffic backed up on both sides of the road, the mother moose paced anxiously.
Tate and his friends quickly plan to reunite the calf with his mother without harming anyone. We started to see traffic, whether out of staters or locals going around,” Tate explained. “Well, they were going around at a little bit faster speed than you want.”
Tate’s friends driving the trailer positioned themselves between the calf and the mother as a protective measure, breaking their line of sight. Another car mirrored this action on the opposite side of the traffic.
With the mother momentarily distracted, Tate jumped over the guardrail, and the exhausted calf approached him. There was no need to chase the little one – he seemed to understand that Tate would help him. Tate effortlessly lifted the calf over the guardrail, steadied his wobbly legs on the pavement, and retreated to give him space.
The mother moose accepted her calf without hesitation, even after he had made contact with a human. “It was calculated,” Tate said of his actions. “It was something we looked at and discussed before doing it.
Although Tate is no stranger to wildlife, he has been in Alaska for a while. He has a background that lends itself to similar situations. And while Tate’s actions resulted in a heartwarming reunion, he admits it could have gone badly.
However, he trusted his instincts and abilities, which worked out in this case. So, go ahead and share this story with friends & family. Because in a world that often feels disconnected, individuals still selflessly extend a helping hand to those in need. And their inspiring stories deserve to be shared and celebrated!
