Many skiers and snowboarders at Utah’s Park City Mountain Resort had quite a wildlife encounter while on the slopes, as a young moose calf sprinted within just a few feet of several riders while attempting to get into the woods.
Utah is home to between 2,500 and 3,000 moose, most of which are found in the state’s northern and northeastern mountains. Moose calves generally stick with their mothers for around a year after they’re born, so there’s a good chance a cow moose was somewhere nearby in this specific incident (unless the calf was orphaned, though that’s fairly rare).
While it’s undeniably a cool experience, following the calf is dangerous to both the animal and the person. Cow moose can be extremely protective of their young, and while you might not see the adult right away she could be foraging nearby. If you encounter a moose, the following guidelines from Wild Aware Utah will keep both you and the animal safe.
If you encounter a moose
- On a trail, give it a lot of space and watch its behavior.
- Back off if it exhibits any signs of aggression, such as the hair standing up on their neck, snout licking, or ears back.
- Stay calm. Do not run away. Talk, make your presence known and slowly back off in the direction you came.
- If it charges you or chases you, hide behind something solid, such as a tree.
- If it knocks you down, curl into a ball, protect your head and lie still until it retreats.
