An Alaskan woman was given a harsh lesson last week when she was kicked by a moose after attempting to pet it. The moose was spotted in downtown Anchorage, where it was busy feeding on trees, when it reportedly wandered past the unidentified woman, who decided that it might be a good idea to reach out and pet the animal. The moose thought otherwise.

According to witnesses, the creature didn't take too kindly to be touched, and kicked the woman, described as being in her 20's, several times, including in the shoulder and chest. Although police and medics were called to the scene, the woman's injuries were not serious enough to send her to the hospital. The moose appeared to be uninjured as well.

The unidentified young woman should count herself lucky. A moose can easily weigh in excess of 1000 pounds and can do a lot of damage to a person without actually trying. When agitated, they have been known to not only attack anyone standing too close, but also stomp them while they are on the ground. Fortunately in this case, the animal merely reacted to defend itself and moved on.

This story serves as an excellent reminder that when our travels take us into close proximity with wild animals, that we should remember that they are just that – wild! They have no qualms about protecting themselves, or their young, and they can be capable of doing a lot of damage to us puny humans. So the next time you pass a bit too close to a large animal in the wild, be sure to give it a wide berth. And what ever you do, don't try to pet a moose, even if it is walking through town.

[Photo credit: John J. Mosesso via WikiMedia Commons]

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