- The Great Moose Migration is being live-streamed
- It’s a slow TV phenomenon that lasts for 20 days
- Dedicated Facebook page for moose mega fans
The Great Moose Migration has begun! Every spring since 2019, millions of people around the world have tuned in to one very special live broadcast – to witness herds of moose on the move in northern Sweden.
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SVT, Sweden’s national public broadcaster, launched its annual 24-hour livestream on Tuesday – a week ahead of schedule due to unusually warm April weather.
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Remote cameras planted in woodlands and a drone track around 300,000 of the solitary herbivores as they journey across the Ångerman River, 187 miles northwest of Stockholm. The result: calming shots of nature and fascinating glimpses of the four-legged creatures.
“For several thousand years the moose have walked the same path to get to the rich pastures of summer. Follow the walk live from Kullberg in the north of Sweden,” a description for the livestream reads.
Slow TV phenomenon
Even though hours can go by without a single antler in sight, a staggering nine million moose fans tuned in last year for this slow TV phenomenon.
Slow TV is a genre of television where seemingly mundane events are broadcast in real time for hours or even days on end. It began in 2009 when Norway’s public broadcaster NRK broadcasted a seven-hour train journey from Bergen to Oslo in full. They expected it to be a bit niche, but it turned out to be a national sensation.
Annette Hill, a professor of media and communications at Jönköping University in Sweden, said slow TV productions allow the audience to relax and watch the journey unfold.
“This is definitely a moment to have a calm, atmospheric setting in my own home, and I really appreciate it,” she said.
SVT’s project manager for The Great Moose Migration, Johan Erhag, also noted that “Everyone who works with it goes down in their normal stress”.
Where can I watch The Great Moose Migration?
Stock up on coffee and snacks, and get moose spotting.
The 20-day slow TV event is live-streamed around-the-clock until 4 May.
If you find yourself becoming a moose mega fan, you can join the Facebook page titled “Vi som gillar den stora älgvandringen på SVT!” – which translates to “We who like the great moose migration on SVT!”.
The group has over 79,000 members, with fans sharing photos of their TV screens whenever moose appear and commenting on the majestic Kings of the Forest.
