Pip & Jo’s Story
Pip & Jo the rescued moose calves joined the AWCC family in June 2020. Jo, short for Josephine March from Little Women, was found alone in Seward, Alaska, and was rescued by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game after the allotted wait time had passed and her mother did not return. Moose mothers often leave their calves while they forage and return many hours later, but Jo’s mother did not return. Pip, short for Pippi Longstocking, is a few weeks younger than Jo. Her mother was hit by a car in an urban conflict situation in Anchorage and was left an orphan. Pip and Jo now have happy homes here at AWCC.
Both calves were being bottle-fed and fed browse as they quickly grew. When these little gals first arrived in late spring 2020, we started them out with six bottle feedings a day (every four hours). This meant many late nights and early mornings for our Animal Care staff! The amount they received per bottle depended on their weight and changed as they grew. An example of the amount they received when they were receiving a bottle six times daily was an amount of formula equaling 10% of their body weight. Pip and Jo were slowly weaned off the bottle as they grew and the frequency of feedings decreased. During this time, they were transitioned to solids such as grain ration, willow, and fire weed.
Pip and Jo’s relationship is quite adorable, with Pip acting like the little sister and Jo her big sister. You can often find Pip following Jo around and seeing what fun she might be getting into. Watch the video of Pip & Jo’s move into their new enclosure on our YouTube Channel. Come see them this spring in their new home near the Moose Observation Deck!