So, moose licking cars in winter is a thing, if you live in a place that has both moose and winter. But why on earth do they do this?!
Hosted by: Stefan Chin
SciShow has a spinoff podcast! It's called SciShow Tangents. Check it out at www.scishowtangents.org
----------
Support SciShow by becoming a patron on Patreon: www.patreon.com/scishow
----------
Huge thanks go to the following Patreon supporters for helping us keep SciShow free for everyone forever:
Silas Emrys, Jb Taishoff, Bd_Tmprd, Harrison Mills, Jeffrey Mckishen, James Knight, Christoph Schwanke, Jacob, Matt Curls, Sam Buck, Christopher R Boucher, Eric Jensen, Lehel Kovacs, Adam Brainard, Greg, Ash, Sam Lutfi, Piya Shedden, KatieMarie Magnone, Scott Satovsky Jr, charles george, Alex Hackman, Chris Peters, Kevin Bealer
----------
Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet?
Facebook: scishow
Twitter: scishow
Tumblr: scishow.tumblr.com
Instagram: thescishow
----------
Sources:
doi.org/10.2193/2007-504
doi.org/10.2193/2006-459
flash.lakeheadu.ca/~arodgers/Alces/Vol40/Alces40_161.pdf
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30479487/
doi.org/10.1016/S0005-2736(00)00135-8
Image Sources:
www.inaturalist.org/observations/381555
www.inaturalist.org/observations/66114642
www.inaturalist.org/observations/45742098
www.inaturalist.org/observations/43158257
www.inaturalist.org/observations/31357071
www.inaturalist.org/observations/36613899
www.inaturalist.org/observations/40654901
www.inaturalist.org/observations/45137409
alfirst.info/load/h6KxqYOXsK6QZ6M/video
alfirst.info/load/raqZeW_Qqq-ieIE/video
Special thanks to Paul Greci, award winning author of Surviving Bear Island, The Wild Lands and Hostile Territory
Special thanks to NPS Photo/Emily Williams
Why Moose Love Licking Cars
1 363 Shikime 137 mijë
they..... they crave that mineral, huh
Salt addicts
Don't let the cuteness of these pics fool you, Moose will destroy you for looking at them
I don't that blue car seemed pretty turned on by the licking
Hmmm... Ok, but why aren’t they intentionally placing salt licks in safer locations? The moose are clearly desperate for the salt, and it is healthy for them.
I've never seen a moose licking a car... and I see moose somewhat frequently.
Note to self: Put salt on balls then go to Canada
Florida moose don’t do this.
Why plural isn't "meese"?
Nice ☺️
hot take maybe the solution isn't to change the way we deal with ice on roads and the solution is to not have roads or atleast not have them be the sole way people can travel
When I lived with my parents still, my mom's goats would lick the cars in the driveway clean. Goats are a bit easier to chase off than a moose I imagine.
Using salt in winter to melt the ice on the streets is prohibited in Germany ... but not because of moose ... we don’t have any ... but because it’s bad for the environment in general
For the algorithm.
As an Alaskan, he’s not kidding. Moose are dangerous
m e e s e
Road salt contaminates lakes and gets into drinking water, alternatives definitely need to be looked into.
I didn’t think this was a question I would want the answer to...then I read the title and I’ve wanted to know the answer my whole life, I just never knew how to ask.
Dude is looking extra oily today.
Eastern Montana doesn't use salt on road ways. Good thing too because we are seeing a growing number of moose, especially along the lower Yellowstone River!
Or.... Get them working at car washes!
So human is addicted to sugar while moose are addicted to salts
They also eat mushrooms then piss and lick it... Probably b4 licking cars
My mom saw this and booked a flight for moose country and started making salt dildos. She really must love nature.
2:24 or just use studded tires instead of wasting all the salt on the roads, sure it hurts the roads a little but its not that hard to fix.
You didn't answer the 2 most important questions of all!! 1. When the first moose figured this out, what was he doing? 2. How did he tell the other mooses?
I kniw addiction to sugar is a thing, but to salt? Well, that's new
I suppose it might be why my family hit a moose when I was younger... Never figured salt might be the culprit... DAMN YOU SALT!!!
If you see a moose licking your car while parked, is it helpful to use the panic switch, or will that make the moose go nuts?
I always wondered about this. We get moose in our yards here and I wondered why they would come near even though they are scared.
Let me see if I get it right.... On Canada cars are popsicles for moose!??
Scishow be asking lifes most important questions i see
Glad they don't use salt where I live. The moose spend enough time in my driveway already. Its hard to go somewhere when an enormous aggressive animal is between you and your car door.
Silly question. Would putting salt stones in the forests a few kilometers away from the roads not relieve this problem. It couldn't cost much compared to having moose run around trying to lick cars and causing traffic accidents, right? Hire some kids on snowmobiles to go out to specific spots and have them change to stones every two weeks or so and have you could even have them maintain a wildlife camera to check how many and what type of animal are using the stone. Funding from both traffic authorities and from wildlife management should give the program a healthy enough budget.
Excuse me, but plural is 'meese'. You are welcome.
Mind you mØØse bites can be nasti
Got it. Carry salt bags
salt licke city
Moose: Nice car you drivin', eh? [licks car] You like this car? [licks car] How about now? [licks car]
CWD just won't stop spreading, will it? Once it makes the jump to rats/mice we are all so screwed.
Meese
It literally never occurred to me that this is something people would not know. It’s just so familiar to watch out for wildlife licking salt off the roads in winter in my area.
I think you'll find the plural of "moose" is "meeseses"
Perhaps we place a few salt blocks away from the roads at strategic points. There's no shortage of salt.
Is it hot in Montana right now, or just in the studio?
I want to say meese.
We can put out salt stones with other minerals in to. Put it on a 1,5 meter up. When the animals liks on the stones it drips down so smaller animals can lick the salts to.
Wait. So. How do they know the car is a salt lick O__o Smell? Or is it...MOOSE SIXTH SALT SENSE seriously tho what draws them to the cars
I like moose
Kinda wish a moose would lick my car but I'm not in moose country
Its the salt
Why couldn’t we put not just the extra road salt far from the roads, but space it out so moose have a more enticing option than the nearby cars. You know so they wouldn’t have to travel as far to get it
next episode of why are you still awake? its 3am.. haha
One time I went to a trap shoot held at a farm in New Jersey (yes, New Jersey), where we all parked in a pasture a short distance away from the fun. I went back to the car to take a nap, and woke up when I felt it rocking. It was surrounded by cows, all licking the salt off. I will never forget the sight of all those...tongues... (It could have been worse -- a nearby Jeep had it's tire cover torn off.)
Wouldn't the easiest solution be to put salt licks somewhere safe for the mooses?
Happened to my buddy about nights ago
Fun fact, moose also love eating jack o lanterns. Halloween is a special kind of scary in Canada
And this is similar to why we had to airlift mountain goats out of one area to their original range in Washington State, though they were big into human pee.
I move from France to Canada 9 years ago. First time I saw one I was shocked. I knew they were big, bit not that big. Majestic Animal tho
what if we left salt lamps outside for them in a safe area where they wont hurt people?
My son will lick cars. Hes autistic.
What he won't be like bullwinkle?
Kakyoin!
My grandfather was killed my a moose when he was 6 years old.
Surely it would be cheaper to just airdrop salt licks for them away from roads.
"What is the plural form of Moose"? ..... "MOOSEN".
My guess salt.
Ok so pull out a salt lick instead of selfie stick got chu
Nah, if I ever go to Canada and see a moose you best bet that I’m about to treat it like a horse by putting salt in my hand for it.
That sign made me smile and giggle. Thanks.
Moose antlers are too wide to fit through my doorway.
Free car wash
A few years ago while driving on a Colorado back road, a small herd of bighorn sheep surrounded our vehicle, and several of them started licking our car. I'd been puzzled about this until seeing this video. Thanks!
I always thought road salt was toxic or something, is that not the case for moose? Or are moose just so big they’re mostly unaffected?
Slowly and carefully drive away... until the moose starts chasing you THEN FREAKING BOOK IT BECAUSE THAT THING WILL SMASH YOUR CAR, AND THEY CAN RUN REALLY FAST.
Before I watch the video Imma guess its salt on the cars in the winter. Salt is dumped on roads in the winter to reduce ice and snow and improve traction
Why Moose Love Kicking Cars
Moose lick salt 🤔... covers entire body in salt heads into forest.... returns home smiling and drained
Does anyone know if it's safe to put a Himalayan salt lick outside in places you know moose usually are? They're often used for horses
I thought we all agreed the plural for moose was meese
2:34 is one of the best out-of-context lines I've seen on this show in a long time!
did i miss something? why cars will be covered by salt?
De-icing slippery roads in winter and spring.
But what if I do not want to drive away safely.
Salt ?
Bison also do this and it is hilarious/terrifying when they do while you are in the car
I had a horse do this to me. Blocked the driveway for over an hour
Thats my dog's dominance tactic. If he licks it. It's his...
“Just a little sodium chloride!” “Actually dude.. that’s salt..” “That’s what I said!” “Sodium Chloride!”
Sodium chloride is a salt, but not the only one. Salt comes in many varieties of metals.
Salt? Just a guess while the ads play...
Quick question if a moose is willing to go that far go get salt and they are very dangerous wouldnt they see u as an enemy trying to take away their salt and attack the car as it drives way ?
The Alaskan moose is the largest subspecies of all, weighing in at between 660 pounds and 1,500 pounds (299-680 kg).
We use calcium chloride in Edmonton. It rusts your car bad, destroys everything it touches, eats through concrete and is generally unpleasant. It's not a good option
I always just figured it was the salt. Now let's watch the video and find out. Yep, duh. What else could it have been? What, they like wax automotive wax? No, it is more likely the salt. To me, this is just common sense. Now let's check the comments to see what kind of viewer base you have, and let's hope they are not morons.
*laughs in canadian*
Good ting I live In Switzerland where they do put irresponsible amouts of salt (sodium chloride on the road) but here are no moose. It still annoys me cause, I have to wait for where it it above 0°C to wash my white /silver cars.
I joke with my friends so much I forget the plural of moose isn’t meese
Where did moose get sodium in the winter before we started dumping salt on the roads?
I wish deer avoided cars and roads, too. Sigh.
Ah yes, the question that's led to many a sleepless night.
I haven’t even seen nor watched this video and I already know it’s about salt.