NEW Zoo of Brown County, WI

Female Moose, Matilda, Now on Exhibit

Happy First Birthday Matilda!

Matilda the moose will be celebrating her first birthday on May 21 in her new exhibit at the NEW Zoo. The young moose arrived here from the Dakota Zoo in Bismarck, North Dakota this past winter-an acquisition made possible by the generous donation of NEW Zoo friend and volunteer, Linda Immel. She was moved to her permanent exhibit on Mother’s Day. The moose exhibit at the NEW Zoo is much admired within the zoo world for its large area which includes ponds, forest and natural wetland habitat. Because many features of the exhibit were hidden under a deep blanket of snow by the time Matilda had completed quarantine, it was decided that her move into the exhibit should wait until spring. Curator of Animals Carmen Murach said “Like many youngsters, Matilda does not always think things through before she acts. She loves to run and frolic and we were afraid that she might trip over fallen logs under the snow or crash through the ice of the pond when the world was hidden by snow.”

Dave the Moose Meets Matilda

Resident male moose, 7 year old Dave, is getting to know Matilda from his side of the exhibit. The normally solitary animals are currently within sight of each other but separated until they become better acquainted. Murach says “They have the opportunity for nose to nose contact, but so far, although Dave has been calling to her, Matilda has not been willing to come quite that close. One of the nice features of this exhibit is that it allows for the moose to choose to have friends or to lead a more solitary life.”

Visitors can see young Matilda and check on the development of Dave’s annual set of antlers from the deck and the overlook of the Riley Building in the Northern Trail section of the NEW Zoo.

Published: May 12th, 2011