Stereotyping the Moose

Television has frequently given the public a false perception on animals. From cats drinking milk to ostriches burying their head in the dirt: people have hurt and been hurt by animals due to their misguided judgments. One of the largest and most dangerous animals to make false assumptions on would have to be the moose. The moose is often hunted by both hunters and photographers for its size and beauty.   However, this animal is often portrayed by cartoons as slow, stupid and friendly when the reality is quite the opposite.
      Having a rather dopey appearance, moose will often lead people into misinterpreting them as slow, dim-witted creatures. In turn; cartoons such as, Rocky and Bullwinkle or Happy Tree Friends, use this to endear an audience to a seemingly helpless character. In the cartoon series of The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Bullwinkle the Moose is made a star by being the “typical” moronic moose. Bullwinkle is always following his best friend with the brains, Rocky the Squirrel. During their adventures, Rocky is made the leader of the duo by always constructing brilliant schemes and solutions. Meanwhile, his friend Bullwinkle is always behind him and, as the comic relief, will always be seen tripping, accidently exploding, or bumping into objects. Unlike Bullwinkle, the moose is actually a very intelligent animal. With predators like the grizzly or black bear and wolves, the moose has learned to survive by outwitting its opponent during a chase or by bravely standing its ground. Moose’s also use their intellect to strategically form packs during the winter to pat down the snow and clear paths.
      Due to their sluggish movements and slow temperament, society will often accuse the moose of not only being slow-minded, but also slow on its feet. One of the most popular examples of this in the media would be in an episode of the popular television show, Invader Zim. During this episode, the main character, Zim: a deranged alien obsessed with...