They're Back; Anchorage, May 2017
After a week's absence, the moose family dropped in yesterday to browse, nap, nurse, and gambol in the afternoon sun. The twins have improved their gross motor skills, and displayed a little bucking, cantering, and side-stepping. They seem to be all leg. Mom is still very attentive and patient and (to human eyes) affectionate. The twins did a little light frolicking, and were farther than 25 feet from mom only once. The twins seem, so far, to have a pretty close sibling relationship, with muzzle-to-muzzle nuzzles and licks.
It can all go South fast. Late last week Suzanne saw not far from the house a big, handsome adult lying mortally injured near the traffic lane, probably struck and paralyzed in the rear legs by a car. Our present mom (distinctive in her marking) mom had twins two years ago and probably lost them to injury or predation. She had given birth in the yard, and then returned without the calves only a week later. Survival skills must develop fast for the calves. Bears are out not far from here and rising traffic levels and speeds threaten every outing.
Mom still cares.
Muzzle-to-muzzle nuzzling.
This is a three-shot sequence of one of the twins.
Frolics and hops.
Comments
After a lifetime of mainly expressing myself with words, my postings here will mainly rely on images. They will speak for themselves to some extent, but I'll usually add a few comments of explanation. I've taken photographs for decades, since the 1950's, inspired in part by my father's photographic skill. Four years of photo assignments and quality darkroom time eventually gave way to decades of casual and family picture-taking. I re-immersed myself when I left film and turned to digital.