The Lithuanian Farmer
Most of us who live in big cities are used to being surrounded by rather small, domesticated animals such as dogs, cats, or maybe rodents.
However, we sometimes forget that for some other people, being surrounded by huge, wild mammals is part of their everyday life! Such is the case of this farmer named Erikas Plucas, who lives in the Lithuanian countryside.
Life In The Countryside
But let's get to know more about Erikas. Erikas grew up in a rural town in Lithuania, which means he always lived surrounded by all sorts of animals and plants.
In fact, he and his family own a farm located right next to a huge forest. Deer ambling across his yard or animals climbing on top of his roof have always been part of his everyday life.
Farmer At Heart
Many people raised in the countryside always dream about moving to the city, but this was never the case for Erikas.
He despised the hustle and bustle of large metropolis like Vilnius (the country's capital), so when he managed to buy his own farm, he knew he would stay in the countryside forever. But what he didn't know is that his life was about to change for good, and all because of a moose!
A Very Dangerous Creature
Having lived his whole life surrounded by animals, Erikas was always well aware of which animals are potentially dangerous and should be avoided. One of these animals is the moose, as you can imagine by the size of their intimidating antlers!
You'd be surprised to know that moose can grow up to 7 feet tall and they can easily kill any human being with their sturdy antlers.
Forest Creatures
But here's a question you're probably asking yourselves: is it common for moose to come close to humans? In Lithuania, encounters with moose aren't common at all.
Only 7,000 moose live in the country and most of them are found in the densely wooded areas located in the northern tip of the country. But one day in 2014, a group of people spotted a moose in the least expected of places.
Moose In The Loose
Given that moose live in the depths of Lithuania's forests, the country was shook when a group of tourists spotted a moose and its calf strolling along the coast of Nilda Beach.
Never had a moose been spotted in a beach, but this is not even the craziest part! Moments later, the two creatures got in the water and started frolicking in the ice-cold sea. But what happened next?
Moose Gone Mad
Apparently, the mama moose and her calf were only cooling off in the sea, but as soon as they noticed they were being stared at by a group of humans, they felt threatened and started racing towards them.
Luckily, nobody was harmed, but the news went viral nationwide. Erikas himself read about it on the news, and as he did, he couldn't help but wonder: what if that ever happened to him? What if he came across a moose in his backyard?
A Helpless Calf
By watching the news, Erikas had learned his lesson: never should you approach a moose in the wild, no matter how tempting it is to take a picture of them at a distance!
But one day, just when he was on his way home, he spotted a baby moose lying on the ground close to his gate. The calf looked desperate and in need of help, but don't people always warn you never to get near a moose? What was he supposed to do?
An Abandoned Female Calf
Erikas approached the baby, but first made sure he was all alone. After all, what if his mother was hiding behind the bushes, watching over him at a distance? Erikas made sure there were no other moose nearby, and only then did he come close to the calf.
He realized it was a female moose and that it was no more than two weeks old. But what was she doing there?
Too Weak To Run Away
Erikas tried to figure out what had happened and why the poor little calf had ended up stranded near his front yard. He figured that her mother had probably been killed by hunters and that the baby had managed to escape.
Then, the calf had probably injured her legs after getting tangled in some branches. The way he saw it, had she not been injured, she definitely would've run away at the sight of a human!
Erikas Stepped In
Erikas realized that the calf was injured but at the same time terrified, so he wasn't sure how to proceed. The moose began trembling as soon as Erikas touched her, but he knew he couldn't just leave her there.
She had obviously suffered an injury, as patches of her fur were infested with flies. He then decided he had no choice but to take the calf inside his house. What a challenge!
Looking For Help
Erikas managed to lift the calf up and take her to his living room. He settled her down on top of a blanket, and sat down for a moment while wondering what to do next.
He gave Animal Services a call, but they told him he had to wait until the next morning to receive help. Therefore, he gave his friends a call, hoping that someone would step in and give him a hand. Unfortunately, his friends' reaction was nothing but discouraging...
Backlash
Basically, all of his friends said he was mad! In their view, what he had done was not only illegal, but extremely dangerous too! After all, moose aren't meant to be kept as domesticated animals, not even for a day!
But little did Erikas care, because he knew he couldn't leave the calf to fend for itself in such a deplorable state.
Animal Services Was No Help
Erikas fetched some milk and some food, which the calf initially refused. It wasn't until midnight that he caved in and ate up his meal. Even though Animal Services showed up the following day, they proved to be no help.
They didn't provide any medical aid, and they suggested Erik to take the moose to a local hunter. What do you think? Did Erikas follow their advice?
A Wild Question
Erikas wasn't sure what to do, but one thing was for sure: handing the baby in to a local hunter was completely off the table! Once he made up his mind, he asked Animal Services a question that they didn't expect: whether it was OK for him to keep the baby moose and raise her as a pet.
The employees were left baffled and, of course, said no. Not only was it dangerous, but also illegal to raise an endangered species as a pet!
He Made Up His Mind
But little did all of this matter for Erikas, who just couldn't stop thinking about the poor calf's fate. In spite of all the backlash he had suffered, he decided to keep the moose as a pet and called her Emma.
After Animal Services left, he immediately looked up information about moose on the Internet. Was raising a moose really that dangerous? Can you guess what he found on the web?
Potential Danger
Truth be told, what Erikas found on the Internet wasn't too encouraging. Interactions between moose and humans usually occur when they're hunted, which explains why moose tend to feel threatened as soon as they see a person.
If they ever get aggressive, it's probably because they fear for their offspring's safety. But given their sheer size and strength, contact with moose should generally me avoided at all costs.
Cases Of Domestication
But there was another question that he couldn't get out of his head: were there any known cases of moose being successfully domesticated? It appeared to be that moose can be domesticated, no matter how unusual it is.
For instance, there was a well-known American man named Jack Carr who raised two moose as pets in Alaska. But this took place a century ago, when raising moose in private homes was still not illegal!
The Beginning Of A Long Friendship
Erikas was fully aware that his decision carried great risks, but he was determined to carry out his plan. He convinced Animal Services to keep him as a pet and he took great care of Emma during the following weeks.
He would feed the calf every two hours, and guess what? The furry little creature came to like him! She would follow Erikas wherever he went to and she would even sleep with him in the same room!
A Teeny Tiny Problem
But there was one teeny tiny problem that Erikas hadn't quite considered, and it was Emma's size! As the months passed, her size grew exponentially, which made him realize he couldn't keep the animal forever.
At least not inside the four walls of his home! Therefore, Erikas came up with a plan...
New Plan
Erikas decided to reintroduce the baby moose back to her natural habitat. However, he knew that the plan had to be carried out carefully and gradually in order for it to succeed.
So day after day, Erikas would take Emma out to the forest and let her roam through the trees a few hours at a time. Deep down, Erikas couldn't help but feel worried; what if Emma was shot by a hunter like her mother?
Tradition
After a couple of weeks, Emma grew used to her natural surroundings, until one day she ventured into the forest and never came back.
Erikas felt nostalgic yet proud at the same time. However, two days later, the farmer would receive the greatest surprise of his life. Slide next to find out what happened!
An Unexpected Surprise
Two days later, while Erikas was fixing his plants in his backyard, he heard a noise behind the bushes... can you guess what it was? Believe it or not, it was Emma!
She had come back just to say hi to his savior, and from that day onward, she would show up at least twice a week to spend some quality time with her BFF Erikas. Isn't that crazy?
It All Worked Out
Erikas couldn't have been more thrilled. Not only had his plan worked to perfection, but he now had the chance to stay in touch with Emma!
Worried about her safety, he spoke with all of the local hunters, pleading them not to hunt her down. Fortunately, they all agreed. So great news for Emma!
An Inspiring Story
Erikas could never have asked for a happier ending. As the months passed, Emma would keep on visiting him almost on a daily basis. And you know what?
A year later, Emma got pregnant! That would make Erikas a grandfather, right? Let's just hope the next generation comes to love Erikas as much as Emma does!