Salt Strategy?

This is another shot from that same day - as she worked around the tail lights.

When I lived in Maine, there were lots of moose and salt on cars but I never heard of this behavior. In the spring, moose would come to the roads to drink water from melting snow and ice along the road in puddles. Dangerous as it brought moose either into the road or real close to it. I guess you could call this a spit shine. Did she do a good job?

Interesting, I see moose on a daily basis here in Anchorage and have never seen them lick cars? Must be something you use in Canada to melt ice on the roads that is tasty, but is it safe?

Well that's one way to wash a car !

In Alberta as far I can find out they use road salt.Not sure how that could be good for the moose.

Road salts include sodium chloride (NaCl), calcium chloride (CaCl2), potassium chloride (KCl) and magnesium chloride (MgCl2). The City of Calgary only uses sodium chloride and calcium chloride. Roads salts used for snow and ice control may be solid or liquid brines.

http://www.avenueedmonton.com/articles/6-facts-about-road-salt

Toyota, Yum! Bet you can't lick just one.

Very interesting adaptive behavior, Karen.
Last winter I watched a cow and calf walk directly to a mineral block from a quarter mile away. Licked tell their tongues were raw, browsed on my landscaping the rest of the day. Took one last lick and departed, never to be seen again. I didn't think to park my car outside.
Thanks for sharing this.
Neil

Thanks for looking up the salt references Lorna! I know a couple of years ago Calgary was experimenting with beet juice and dairy-based brines for de-icing (in addition to the usual sand, grit and salt) - but don't know if they are still continuing with that or not.

Carl - Hopefully the amount of salt in the vehicle crust isn't enough to harm her. To me, her habituation is more of a concern. On this day, my two dogs were in my car with me (a Subaru, not Toyota!) and she came right up to us regardless. Started to put her head down to lick my bumper and the dogs went nuts. She backed away, but then approached and tried again about 10 minutes later. That time when the dogs barked she walked away and left us alone. Then my co-worker told me that traffic in this area had been affected by a moose licking cars..... Not a safe place for her to be.

Peter and Neil - she did an absolutely fabulous job getting every inch of that car, but as you can probably see - the "shine" part of spit-shine really didn't work out. So much abrasive, this wasn't very good for the finish on that car

CONGRATULATIONS Karen!
Love the 'novelty' of this one too

Hello Karen

Interesting Girl!

In Algonquin Park (Ontario Canada) Each spring the moose can be seen at roadside enjoying the residue salt from winter roads .
Excellent sodium until the rich in sodium waterplants emerge each spring.

Thanks for this interesting image:)

Bill

This makes me laugh every time I see it Karen !!