Maine Couple Uses Pickup Truck to Save Moose Calf from Charging Bear: 'I Knew What I Had to Do'

A Maine couple, Todd and Elvia Malcolm, found themselves in an extraordinary situation during a fishing trip last Thursday, employing their pickup truck to rescue a moose calf from an attacking bear and facilitating its reunion with its mother. Todd Malcolm later stated that he felt compelled to act, believing the young animal would not survive otherwise. “I knew what I had to do and I just did it,” he recounted.

An Unexpected Encounter

The dramatic event unfolded in Telos Township, Maine, when the Malcolms initially pulled their vehicle over after noticing a female moose at the edge of a wooded area. They hoped to capture a photograph of the animal. “I said to Elvia, I said, ‘Grab your phone because you’re going to get a chance to get a picture of a moose,’” Todd Malcolm recalled telling his wife.

After parking, the couple observed the moose displaying unusual signs of distress. Their suspicions were soon confirmed when a bear and a young moose calf suddenly emerged from the forest, sprinting directly toward their truck.

Decisive Intervention

Convinced the bear was moments away from catching the vulnerable calf, Todd Malcolm made a split-second decision to intervene. “I put the truck in drive and I just stepped on the gas,” he explained. His aim was not to harm the bear but to position his vehicle as a barrier between the predator and its potential prey.

The strategy proved effective. The bear veered sharply to the side of the road and quickly vanished back into the dense woods. “Boom, gone, right in the woods,” Malcolm described its swift departure.

The intense moments were equally harrowing for Elvia Malcolm. “My heart was racing because I did not want to witness the bear catching the calf,” she shared. Despite the adrenaline, she managed to document parts of the chase with her camera. “I really thought I probably got like a bug on the windshield when I started to look at them,” she said, clarifying that all photos were taken from inside the truck. “I took them through the front windshield of the truck. I wasn’t outside the truck. No way was I getting outside the truck.”

Immediately following the bear’s retreat, Elvia Malcolm witnessed the successful reunion. “As soon as the calf got past the truck and we were able to get the bear to give up the chase, I looked up the road and saw that they were together, the mom and the calf,” she recounted.

After ensuring the moose calf was safely back with its mother, the couple resumed their fishing trip, undoubtedly with a remarkable story to tell.