Truth is often stranger than fiction, and so it was for a Swedish man who discovered something odd in an apple tree. According to The Associated Press, Per Johansson reportedly heard something strange coming from a neighbor’s yard. Knowing that the neighbor was on vacation, he went to check it out.
What he heard was an odd roar and what he found was not at all what he was expecting. Johansson discovered what could be the strangest case of “What is that doing there?” — an intoxicated moose in a tree. Yes, a moose in the tree. It is uncertain exactly how it happened, but the female moose was in the apple tree, kicking and bellowing. Apparently she was a little on the hammered side, as she was believed to have been eating fermented apples; she was not too happy.
How did the drunk moose get into the tree? That is a mystery that will likely remain unsolved, but the good news is that Johansson contacted the police and rescue services and, between their efforts, they were able to set the snockered moose free by sawing off some of the tree’s branches.
News reports state the moose didn’t go very far after her rescue, instead appearing somewhat dazed and confused. She wandered into rescuer Johansson’s garden. Perhaps she wanted to just sleep it off. Residents in the area reported they had seen the moose wandering around for a few days.
It is unknown if she was only drunk or if perhaps the moose was also sick. Under normal circumstances it is never a good idea to approach a wild animal, especially one as large and potentially dangerous as a moose. In this particular incident, though, freeing the poor moose from the bondage of the apple tree was a good choice.
It is hoped, of course, that the moose will recover from her drunken binge and there will be no more incidents with apple trees, or any other trees, for that matter. Ultimately this incident illustrates the dangers of uninhibited drinking — no matter what your species is.