A moose killed a man in Alaska. Could the same thing happen in Washington?

A 70-year-old Alaska man who tried to take photos of two newborn moose calves was attacked and killed by the mother, authorities said Monday, May 20.

The man killed on Sunday, May 19, was identified as Dale Chorman of Homer, said Austin McDaniel, a spokesman for the Alaska Department of Public Safety, according to the Associated Press (AP).

In Homer, the moose cow had recently given birth to her calves.

“As they were running through the undergrowth looking for the moose, the cow moose attacked Dale,” McDaniel said, according to AP.

The attack occurred as the two ran away, he said. The second man, whose identity was not publicly released, was unharmed.

Because that person did not witness the attack, authorities cannot say whether the moose killed Chorman by kicking or stomping or a combination of those attacks.

Paramedics pronounced Chorman dead at the scene of the accident. The moose left the area, Alaska State Troopers said in an online post.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game typically receives reports of aggressive or unusual behavior from moose, Cyndi Wardlow, a regional manager for the Department of Wildlife Conservation, told AP in a later report on Chorman’s death.

“In this case, we are of course very concerned about public safety,” she said.

“If there was an animal that was behaving in a way that continued to pose a threat to public safety, then we could potentially euthanize the animal, but we do not specifically pursue that course of action,” she said.

How many moose are there in Washington?

Staci Lehman, communications manager for Region 1 for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), told MyNorthwest in an email that she lives in Eastern Washington near Spokane. She explained that the moose in that state are Shiras moose, which are slightly smaller than the moose that live in Alaska.

According to the WDFW website, there were an estimated 5,000 moose living in Washington state in 2015. It goes on to say, “The majority live in the Selkirk Mountains (Pend Oreille, Stevens, Ferry and Spokane counties), with smaller populations in the northern Cascades, Okanogan and Blue Mountains.”

There are now up to 200,000 moose in Alaska, a state with a population of about 737,000, the AP said.

More US moose news: Wandering bull moose is captured in Santa Fe and brought to its habitat in northern New Mexico

Do moose pose a threat to the people of Washington?

Humans and moose generally live in harmony in Washington and elsewhere. In fact, moose have been sighted more and more, moving into areas where more people live.

“Even more clear evidence of parallel growth in Washington’s human and moose populations is the increasing number of moose migrating into Spokane’s suburbs and urban areas. Moose sometimes take up residence where water and lush vegetation are more readily available. By 2015, WDFW received almost daily reports of problem or ‘nuisance’ moose,” the state agency’s website states.

The incident in Homer, Alaska, is only the second fatal moose attack in Alaska in the past three decades. The last occurred after students in Anchorage harassed a moose in 1995, the AP reported. The WDFW said moose attacks on humans are considered “very rare.”

“When you see a moose in Washington, it’s a really cool thing,” Staci Lehman wrote in her email to MyNorthwest. “In the Spokane area, they are common in yards and parks and even company parking lots, but in most of the state, that doesn’t happen.”

Animal looking for snack: Moose feeds on plants in the lobby of a hospital building in Alaska

Be careful: moose are still considered “dangerous wild animals”

However, the WDFW website also states that it is important to remember that anything as large as a moose can be dangerous, which is why these animals are classified as “dangerous wildlife.”

According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website, moose are not typically aggressive, but can become so if provoked.

Although Shiras elk are a little smaller, they are still large animals. Adults measure nearly 6 feet at the shoulder. According to the WDFW, adult male elk (bulls) weigh between 850 and 1,100 pounds, and adult female elk (cows) weigh between 600 and 800 pounds.

While Lehman praised the moose encounter as a cool thing, she also pointed out what people should do if they spot a moose while out and about.

“If you see one in the woods, it’s best to give it plenty of space, don’t approach it, walk backwards and leave the same way you entered the area,” she said.

Additionally, as the WDFW website explains, “Moose view dogs, which are closely related to wolves, as a direct threat.” They have been known to go out of their way to kick dogs, even if they are on a leash or in a fenced yard, so if you see a dog near you, bring your dog inside. Also, moose should not be loud when out in the woods with their owners.

“If you are hiking with a dog, keep him on a leash and try to keep him calm,” Lehman said in her email to MyNorthwest.

Incident in Colorado: Moose attacks woman, butts her with his head and tramples on her as she walked her dog on a forest path

The WDFW also explained that moose can be aggressive year-round, but that this is the time of year – May to June – when cows are giving birth to their calves and may feel provoked.

“Moose cows with calves are some of the more aggressive species of moose you will come into contact with,” McDaniel told AP.

If you see a calf nearby, you should be extremely cautious because the cow is probably nearby.

“Moose can become defensive during mating season or when a female moose has cubs, so the most important thing is to give them plenty of space,” Lehman said.

Contributors: The Associated Press

Steve Coogan is the editor-in-chief of MyNorthwest. Read more of his stories here. Follow Steve on Xor send him an email here.