May is the month when moose numbers will increase dramatically over the course of a couple weeks. No, this is not the result of a clandestine cloning project. Over eons, moose have evolved to give birth at the time when high quality food resources become abundant in the spring. Alaskans know we share our space with diverse wildlife species. There are steps we need to take in order to successfully share our space with wildlife and to keep ourselves safe, especially when there are 1000-pound cow moose around town ready to defend their newborns.

There are about 3,000 moose inhabiting the area between Homer and Tustumena Lake. Roughly 750 are bulls and 2,250 are cows. This ratio is skewed due to hunting pressure on bulls. Moose have a polygamous mating system where one bull can mate with multiple females. The ratio of 20 bulls per 100 cows is sufficient to ensure all receptive cows will become pregnant and populations will continue to be productive. Not all cows will have a calf but many will have twins. All told, there will be 1,500-2,000 calves taking their first steps on the lower Kenai Peninsula in the next couple weeks, many of these within the friendly confines of Homer.

Calves will weigh about 30 pounds at birth and will change their milk suckling diet to mostly summer vegetation by the end of June. When the calves are completely weaned in August or September, they will be between 200-300 pounds. Calves will stay with the cow until the following year when the cow gives birth to a new offspring. The yearling is often hesitant to leave the cow when the newborn comes, however the cow often resorts to aggressive behavior in order to drive the yearling away.

At this time of year I get many phone calls about "orphan" moose calves. More often than not, these calves have a mother nearby and should be left alone. The cow will often leave the calf to go off and forage. In the meantime, the calf will curl up and remain still while the mother is gone. The calf will run off if approached by a human or a loose dog. This makes it more difficult for the cow and calf to reunite.

Moose, especially newborn calves, expend critical energy when repeatedly chased by dogs. Worse yet, dogs can kill young calves. Being a responsible pet owner is a valuable contribution you can make to wildlife conservation. It is an unfortunate result when wildlife officials need to protect wildlife by shooting dogs that are chasing moose and other wildlife.

Cows can be very defensive of their newborn calves. If you come across a cow with a calf give them plenty of room and keep your dogs tethered. If you see a lone calf, do not approach it. The defensive mother may be near and you may force the calf to move out of the area making it harder for the cow to relocate her calf. If you'd like more information about moose, come down to the Homer Fish and Game office and pick up a free copy of the publication "Living in Harmony with Moose".

Thomas McDonough is a Wildlife Biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game in Homer.