‘What’s the code for this?’: Moose wanders into Alaska hospital

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU/Gray News) - Moose have been popping up in unexpected places lately in parts of Southcentral Alaska, from a living room and now to the lobby of a hospital facility on Thursday.

According to staff, the moose walked in the front door of the lobby at Providence Health Park in Anchorage’s U-Med District after sighting decorative potted plants through the panels of glass on the front of the building.

Patients, health care staff and security officers then watched as the moose, believed to be about a year old, walked straight up to what appeared to be a type of umbrella tree and sampled a few of the stems.

Even though most Alaskans are used to seeing the monstrous mammals, the presence of one in the hospital’s lobby was a surprise for those inside.

“There’s a moose in our hospital, guys,” one person could be heard saying on a video posted to social media. “It’s just chillin’. Hungry.”

Another witness in the video comments, “This is the best. Like, what’s the code for this?”

Security officers pushed large pieces of furniture toward the moose to urge the ungulate towards the building’s exit.

Some bystanders even grabbed now-broken branches off the lobby floor to tempt the moose with a treat, eventually leading it towards the door and back outside.

The encounter with the moose is a good reminder that although they’re adorably awkward and look friendly, moose can be very dangerous to humans.

Despite being seen without its mother, it is likely that the moose that infiltrated the hospital campus is not in danger.

According to the state’s Department of Fish and Game, more people are injured by moose than bears in Alaska each year.

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