Beware Of Moose, A New Video Cautions

Originally published on October 26, 2018 11:11 am

Parks and Wildlife officials are putting a warning out there about a rise of dangerous interactions between moose and humans. A new video educates the public how to avoid interactions with moose.

The new video released by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department begins with phone video of a moose attacking. Mike Porras, the northwestern spokesperson for the department, said the population of moose is increasing and expanding in Colorado.

"They're moving into areas including populated areas, cities and towns, where only a few years ago it would've been unbelievable," said Porras.

The best advice: keep your distance. Porras said people need to be especially careful with dogs.

"That moose is going to respond to that dog as if it is a wolf, one of its primary predators," he said.

Colorado's moose population is increasing while in other regions of the Mountain West the moose population has remained about the same but Aly Courtemanch, a wildlife management coordinator for Wyoming Game and Fish said moose still roam populated areas.

"They get tangled and trapped in a lot of different things people have in their yards."

Officials caution to keep your distance when encountering moose as they have bad hearing and are often surprised by people.

This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, Yellowstone Public Radio in Montana, KUER in Salt Lake City and KRCC and KUNC in Colorado.

Copyright 2018 Wyoming Public Radio. To see more, visit Wyoming Public Radio.