This is moose-see TV.
A majestic herd of moose is captivating millions across the globe thanks to Sweden’s now-iconic livestream, The Great Moose Migration.
Dubbed “reality TV at it’s finest,” the sublime broadcast returned April 15 — a full week early — after an unusually warm spring jumpstarted the annual inland trek of the country’s largest land mammals.
The show, known locally as “Den stora älgvandringen,” has been described as hypnotic, meditative and even a little addictive.
With more than 30 cameras capturing uninterrupted footage of wild moose crossing rivers and snow-dusted forests, the 24/7 stream offers viewers all the drama of the great outdoors — at a glacial pace.
“There are a lot of moose about,” producer Stefan Edlund told Swedish public broadcaster SVT. “They’re waiting for us. We’ve had to adjust. But it should be OK.”
He and a 15-person crew had already laid 20,000 meters of cable and positioned the cameras, complete with night vision, throughout Sweden’s remote High Coast region.
And they did it just in time for the moose’s camera-ready moment.
Last year, nearly 9 million tuned in, and die-hard fans aren’t letting up. Ulla Malmgren, 62, said she’s stocked up on coffee and pre-cooked meals so she doesn’t miss a second.
“Sleep? Forget it. I don’t sleep,” she declared in an interview with Swedish outlet SVT, per the Guardian.
Another viewer, 20-year-old William Garp Liljefors, admitted the stream has him on moose-watch 24/7.
“I feel relaxed, but at the same time I’m like, ‘Oh, there’s a moose. Oh, what if there’s a moose? I can’t go to the toilet!” he told reporters.
The concept may sound absurd in the age of TikTok attention spans, but media scholars say the slow pace is exactly the point.
“It becomes, in a strange way, gripping, because nothing catastrophic is happening, nothing spectacular is happening,” said Annette Hill, a professor of media and communications at Sweden’s Jönköping University.
“But something very beautiful is happening in that minute-by-minute moment.”
The show is part of a broader “slow TV” trend, popularized in Scandinavia, that includes 18 hours of salmon swimming upstream, 12 hours of wood burning, and a 134-hour sea voyage.
Unlike scripted television, slow TV unfolds in real time — with no narration, no music, and no cuts.
“Just when did we come to accept that television should be this accelerated, busy, intense, in your face thing?” asked Espen Ytreberg, a professor of media studies at the University of Oslo.
“But at some point, that became the norm,” Ytreberg told CBS.
Except for here. Moose drama does occasionally happen. The Ångerman River — which the moose must cross to reach summer pastures — can be treacherous.
SVT even sends viewers push notifications when the first moose enters the frame and keeps a live counter of how many make it across. Last year: 87.
Viewers can expect more wildlife cameos, too — from reindeer and otters to elusive capercaillies.
The show’s Facebook fan group has ballooned to over 78,000 members, many of whom treat the migration like the Super Bowl of serenity.
For those who want to trade screen time for the real thing, Sweden offers moose-viewing adventures ranging from city zoos and wilderness lodges to eco-certified safaris where you can track the animals in their natural habitat.
But if you’re stuck at your desk, just open a browser and soak in the slow, snowy stillness of a Nordic forest. Somewhere out there, a moose is about to make your day.
You can stream The Great Moose Migration for free at svtplay.se through early May.
Best viewing hours: dawn and dusk (Swedish time).
