A Colorado hiker heading to a lake was thrilled to spot a gigantic moose munching on leaves, and decided to capture the moment on cellphone video.
But the nature lover was suddenly in a race for survival when the 450kg beast looked up and abruptly charged.
“Thankfully no injuries occurred,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife noted in a tweet Sunday. “This person managed to get behind a tree – and the moose hit that.”
The near-miss occurred in Clear Creek County, about 20 miles west of downtown Denver.
The CPW tweet warned that the video is an “example of being too close to a bull moose and how quickly they can decide to charge.”
This video is an example of being too close to a bull moose and how quickly they can decide to charge on you.
It is from Clear Creek County. The individual just by chance came upon the bull walking along a willow bottom heading towards a lake. pic.twitter.com/Z2usuHpPit
— CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) August 8, 2021
Moose are the largest and “one of most dangerous and unpredictable” wild animals in Colorado, noted a CPW instructional video on “how not to get stomped.” More people are attacked in the state by moose each year than by any other species of wildlife – and encounters are ticking up.
“They are now appearing in many of our busy mountain towns, rural neighbourhoods, tourist destinations and ski areas,” said CPW Director Elissa Sleza. “While this creates exciting opportunities to view these fascinating animals, dangerous conflicts between moose and people have become increasingly common in recent years.”
Colorado has some 2,500 moose, which are generally unafraid of humans. They’ll stand their ground if approached, then will often charge if they feel threatened. They are equipped with massive antlers and can run up to 35 mph.
Humans should stay far back from any moose (at least 25 yards away), and be on the alert for any signs of pending aggression like laid-back ears, warn wildlife officials. Moose often attack dogs, who remind them of wolves, their No. 1 predator, and owners can sometimes get in the way.
Check out more tips – and attacks – below:
Rule 1: don’t approach the wildlife
Rule 2: you can’t change rule 1
— Kyle Colby (@KColby87) August 8, 2021
