Alaska Grapples With Starving Moose Emergency

Heavier-than-usual snowfall in Alaska this winter has created what officials are calling a moose crisis. Starving, weary moose are heading for roads and railroad tracks to escape the deep snow—up to 6 feet in some places—and the number of vehicle-moose collisions is soaring. The state has given the Alaska Moose Federation permission to set up feeding stations to lure moose away from roads, reports the Los Angeles Times.

"It's belly deep, shoulder deep for these moose," the federation's chief says, explaining that fighting through the unusually deep snow is forcing the moose to burn calories they need to survive the winter. "The calves are the worst off. We've gotten reports of calves that have just given up, and the ravens are already picking at them, and they're still alive." In addition to the moose-feeding program, the federation has set up a program to deliver road-kill moose carcasses to charity groups that distribute the meat to food banks. (More moose stories.)