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Get up close and personal with Manitoba moose in new documentary

Giants of the Boreal Forest, a new documentary released by CBC as part of the Absolutely Manitoba series, gives viewers an intimate look at a treasured symbol of Canada — the moose.

Giants of the Boreal Forest follows a wildlife biologist as he studies moose in Riding Mountain National Park

CBC News ·
A large male moose with big antlers is seen in a forest with high vegetation.
Male moose grow broad, open-hand-shaped antlers in the spring and shed them each winter. They use the antlers — which can spread up to six feet from end to end and weigh 40 pounds — during mating displays and for defense from predators. (Submitted by Vince Crichton)

Giants of the Boreal Forest
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020
8 p.m. on CBC Manitoba

>> Watch online now

Moose rank alongside the maple leaf and beaver as popular symbols of Canada. The animal is featured on the coat of arms for both Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador, and can be found in every province and territory except P.E.I. 

Manitobans love moose so much that we even have a hockey team team named after them. The team's mascot, Mick E. Moose, also represents the Winnipeg Jets. 

But how much do you actually know about the majestic animal? 

A new documentary called Giants of the Boreal Forest, released by CBC as part of the Absolutely Manitoba series, gives viewers an intimate look at the keystone species of our boreal ecosystem.

The film follows Dr. Vince Crichton, certified wildlife biologist, who has dedicated his life to observing the solitary animals in their natural habitat. Using a moose call horn and an artificial moose head named Duffy, Crichton gets up close and personal with the moose.

Dr. Vince Crichton in the field with his artificial moose head named Duffy, which allows him to get closer to the animals than would otherwise be possible. (Kim Crichton)

The Canadian moose population ranges between 500,000 to over 1,000,000.

In Manitoba, the population was at one point about 30,000 animals. Today, it stands at less than 18,000, with animals found across the provinces — from the border of North Dakota to the border of Nunavut.

Watch Giants of the Boreal Forest on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020, at 7 p.m. on CBC television.

Dr. Vince Crichton, also known as Doc Moose, is a wildlife biologist recognized as one of the world's foremost experts on the animal. (Michael Sanders)
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