A pair of moose decided to join the parking scene at Winter Park Resort and slurp up salt residue while skiers and snowboarders pulled out their phones to take videos.
During the winter months, moose can experience a shortage of natural sodium sources as plants become scarce and less nutrient-rich. To compensate, moose a well known to seek alternative sources of salt including road salt caked onto vehicles.
Thankfully it looks like everyone in the parking lot kept an appropriate distance and used their camera zooms to get pictures and videos of the large ungulate party crashers. As a reminder, anyone in the presence of a moose should tay at least 75 feet away from and under no circumstances approach for photos or closer observation.
Visit Winter Park Moose Safety Guidelines:
When moose act aggressively they are doing it to protect themselves or their young and are trying to get you away from them. If you come across a moose on the trail keep your distance and give it time to get away. If you notice a moose is agitated by your presence, you are too close. Possible signs of an anxious and potentially aggressive moose:
- Head tossing
- Hair on neck standing up
- Whites of their eyes showing
- Urination on their legs
- Lip smacking
- *Sometimes an agitated moose will show no signs at all
Steps:
- Avoid Moose – keep yourself and your family at a safe distance especially if there is a calf (baby moose) around.
- If you are too close or the moose seems agitated back away from the moose.
- If a moose charges towards you, run.
- If possible put a large tree or boulder in between you and the moose, (Moose can’t see well and sometimes hiding behind a boulder or tree is all it takes for the moose to think you’ve left).
If you get charged and trampled, continue to fight to get away from the moose and hide.
