Remote roads wound through deep thick forests with no sign of civilisation for miles. We were in wild Sweden, way above the arctic circle and making our way southwards. This was definitely the right territory, but we never met a moose.
With around three hundred thousand of them in the country, I had really hoped we’d see some of the kings of the forest. Despite many weeks travelling across Scandinavia, we had only seen one moose loose in the wild, and that had been a fleeting glimpse as we’d sped along a motorway. When I found out about a dedicated park for the gentle giants, I added the opportunity to meet a moose to our plans.
Wildlife Experiences
I love a wildlife experience, and have had several animal encounters as part of trying fifty-two new things a year, including being a keeper for a day, walking an alpaca, and going on an amazing night safari.
Meeting a moose wasn’t something I had ever considered. I thought they were only found in the wild as I’d never seen one of these giants in any wildlife parks or zoos I’d previously been too.
I’d read the reviews several times before our visit, and they had all been very good. I just about managed to contain my excitement!
Grönåsen Moose Park
A morning at Grönåsen moose park, (Grönåsen Älg- & lantdjurspark), gave us the opportunity to see lots of these amazing animals and even give them a bit of a fuss! I got to touch a moose!
The friendly lady on reception welcomed us to the park, and told us that if the moose came up to the fence, then we were fine to touch them! I really hoped we’d get to see them now!
It was a fantastic place. The walk around the peaceful forest park took us past three big enclosures. There were plenty of benches to stop at and while away some time watching out for the animals.
Tall observation towers provided excellent vantage points to try and catch sight of the wild creatures from up high. There was plenty of space for the moose to move around in and they all looked happy and healthy.
Moose Spotting
Some moose were easier to find than others. With a keen eye and a bit of patience, we managed to spot some antlers amongst the trees where the more elusive creatures stayed.
Although they are such big, bandy-legged animals with a hefty head accessory, it was amazing how easily they camouflaged into their surroundings. Perhaps we had driven past more than we had realised?!
I Met A Moose!
Other moose were far more at ease in the presence of people. A mother and her young happily chewed on some leafy branches in one enclosure, whilst another pen had four adults and two young.
One adult in particular was huge, and much taller than most of the visitors. I hadn’t realised they were quite so big. Others contentedly lay in the grass lazily enjoying the warmth of the September sunshine.
The feeding troughs were on the edge of the fencing, and we were lucky with our timing. The owner was doing the rounds for lunch. Tipping pellets into the feeder soon had the moose up on their feet and trotting over.
As they snuffled their snouts into the food we were able to reach over and give them a stroke. Their fur looked shiny and velvety. Gently smoothing my hand over the head of a young one I was surprised that it was more like coarse horse hair. It was far too occupied by its meal to be bothered by us, yet I couldn’t quite believe I was so close to Swedens national animal!
Big Beasts
An adult male walked along side the fencing, it’s tall legs striding through the grass. I hadn’t realised just how long their legs were – they looked like they could be related to a giraffe!
They of course are not related to giraffe, but are members of the deer family. They’re distinctively different with the hanging furry dewlap under their throat, and their flat wide antlers.
Although they are such big beasts they are herbivores, but it takes a lot of vegetation to fill them up, around 6kg a day! A full grown male can weigh around 550kg, which made me glad we hadn’t had any close encounters with them when we’d been driving as I don’t think either of us would have come off well.
A-Moose-ing Animals
The moose were very entertaining to watch, with some being more inquisitive of the visitors than others. They did a fair bit of sitting around, (digesting all that food must be quite tiring), which meant we could easily sit and observe them.
They had very long and sometimes quite expressive faces. The two youngest ones were four months old. Their ears looked too big for them, their legs looked too thin to take their weight, and they almost coyly batted their long lashes over their huge eyes.
Moose Museum
A small exhibition in the park showed the enemies of the moose. This may have been a bit scary for small children as full size model displays with stuffed animals, showed the various means of deaths a moose may face from its enemies; bears, wolves and people. I know it’s a fact of life and I am not naive about these things, but I quickly got back outside to see the live ones.
Not Just Moose Loose In The Park
Of course the moose were the star attractions. Some farm animals were also kept at the park and they seemed very interested in passing visitors. Goats, pigs, chickens and rabbits were happy for some fuss and attention too.
Proudly display information about other animals found in Sweden, one sign was about the bear. There are several thousand of them in Sweden! I had jokingly suggested we might see a bear on our travels, but thought they were more likely to be in Finland and nearer to the vast countryside of Russia. Maybe I should have been more concerned about where we had been wild camping!
Souvenirs And Snacks
The park is hugely proud of its gift shop, boasting over 1500 moose related items! Definitely a place to take a moose lover!
They also sell a few snacks which felt weirdly inappropriate to me in this setting. You can buy moose sausages or moose burgers, and then cook them yourself on the grill outside. I’m not adverse to trying moose, but having just seen them in such close proximity, given them a fuss and learnt more about them, it didn’t really feel like the time or the place that I wanted to sample the Swedish delicacy.
We Met A Moose, Or Was It An Elk?
I’ve always been a bit uncertain about whether there is a difference. It seems that in Europe, elk and moose are used interchangeably to refer to the animals that we had seen. Perhaps it’s because many European languages use the word ‘alg’ which has a similar sound to elk.
However, the word elk is specifically used in North America to identify another member of the deer family. The Wapiti. This looks more like a reindeer, with large antlers, shaggy fur and a white tail. We had definitely met a moose.
Don’t ‘Moose’ This Brilliant Animal Encounter!
What a morning it had been. I had hoped we would see a moose, but I hadn’t thought for a minute that we’d get so close to them, or there would be so many. It had been a fantastic experience finding out more about Sweden’s national animal, and seeing how gentle they can be.
Want To Try It Yourself?
We visited the Grönåsen Älg- & lantdjurspark, It’s the biggest moose park in Sweden, and is located in the south west of the country near a place called Kosta.
There are a number of other moose parks in Sweden which you may want to look into if you are planning a visit.
In the UK you might be lucky to see moose at Knowsley Safari Park.
Other northern hemisphere countries are also home to wild moose including Canada, Alaska, and The Baltic States – keep your eyes peeled if you’re visiting them!
Cost Of Experience
Entry to the park in September 2023 cost us 135 Kr each, which was just over £10 per person.
There’s no time limit to your visit and you can walk around the park as many times as you like.
Recommendations
- We went in September and it was fairly quiet. Bear in mind that it might be busier in school holidays.
- The park is not open all year round, and the timings vary throughout the year so check before you go so that there’s no disappointment.
- Take your time and be patient.
- Don’t forget your camera – you will definitely see some moose if you go to Grönåsen Älg- & lantdjurspark!