When Lowe’s shoppers went into the Anchorage store on Tuesday, they never guessed they’d come out to find a moose who’d just given birth.
Shopper Katherine Warren first spotted the moose and her newborn calf resting on a small median in the hardware store’s parking lot.
“…it’s a new life, you know, so it’s very exciting, but at the other end, she needs her privacy,” Warren told KTVA News. To ensure they weren’t disturbed too much, Warren informed the store’s staff of what was going on, and they quickly set up a “safe zone” to ward off the crowd that was starting to gather ’round.
Naturally, the event made it to social media pretty quickly. After seeing the news on Facebook, 38-year-old wildlife photographer Coby Brock drove to the store near Tikahtnu Commons. When he arrived, he told Alaska Dispatch News, the cow moose and her calf were sitting in the shade next to a black jeep.
Although a little wobbly, the young calf did slowly rise to its hooves, and when it did, the crowd of bystanders cheered. They then watched as the mother snacked on the leaves of a nearby tree, feeding some to her calf who was just learning to use its legs.
A report by CTV said that wildlife officials were on standby to assist store staff if they needed assistance with the moose. Luckily, no action was required, likely because the staffers set up that barrier so quickly, ensuring the moose and her calf were given lots of space.
After a few hours, the pair wandered to the nearby woods and out of sight, leaving the crowd in awe.
“I’ve been here 50 years, it’s just unbelievable to see it in a parking lot,” one of the spectators said.
But Brock wasn’t too shocked: “In Anchorage, you’re never surprised where you’ll find a moose,” he said.
