An adult moose can weigh over 2,000lb and move at speeds up to 25mph, so you don’t want to get on their bad side – especially not for a photo.
On a recent visit to Yellowstone, one hiker filming a herd of moose in Round Prairie was surprised to spot two of the huge animals chasing after a park visitor who had chosen to get a little too close, and was sprinting to escape.
Moose attacks are rare, but the animals can charge if they or their young are threatened, and are particularly likely to lash out if dogs are nearby since they cannot differentiate between a domestic dog and a wolf.
This particular incident was captured by Leah Hilton and shared this week via Instagram account TouronsOfYellowstone, which calls out careless behavior at US National Parks, often involving wildlife. Other close calls have included people taunting elk, harassing bison, and even chasing bears, all of which are federal crimes punishable by a hefty fine or even jail time.
The National Park Service (NPS) warns visitors that animals at Yellowstone are wild and can be unpredictable, no matter how calm they may seem in the moment. The best and safest place to view them is from within a car, and you should always stay at least 25 yards (23 meters) away from bison, moose and elk.
Stay safe around moose
Moose are naturally more inclined to be inquisitive rather than aggressive, but they can attack people if they feel threatened, with serious consequences. They tend to react particularly strongly around dogs, which they see as wolves.
Last year, a woman was charged and knocked down by a cow moose while walking her dog in the Rocky Mountains. As Associated Press reported, the animal headbutted and trampled her as she walked her pet on a wooded trail. She was taken to hospital for treatment, having been stomped on “several times”.
“If a moose thinks a dog is a threat it’s going to react to it, and that’s normal for a moose,” said Kara Van Hoose, a spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Up nextVideo: Bison charge tourists at YellowstoneChase MartinThu, May 23, 2024 at 9:59 AM PDT·1 min read3A bison and a calf trot down a road in Yellowstone National Park on Aug. 6, 2018. | Chuck Wing, Deseret NewsApproaching wild animals can be very dangerous. Even those that appear docile and friendly can quickly turn on people and attack.A recent video of tourists at Yellowstone National Park highlights why this advice should be followed and the importance of maintaining a safe distance from wild animals.The footage, taken by a park guest from a safe distance, shows a herd of bison passing through the park while a man seated on a nearby bench remains still. The situation escalates when another group of tourists approaches and obstructs the herd’s path.Someone in the video can be heard saying, “Oh, I don’t think that’s wise.”The bison become agitated and charge at the tourists. Fortunately, the tourists manage to get out of the way in time.https://www.youtube.com/embed/VchqjFCvPJQ?feature=oembedAccording to USA Today, nobody was injured in the exchange.Yellowstone National Park is home to thousands of free-roaming bison. It has the largest population on public lands, per the park’s website.Male bison can weigh up to 2,000 pounds, while females can reach up to 1,000 pounds. These animals can be aggressive and are capable of running up to 30 miles per hour.The park’s guidelines emphasize the unpredictability of its wildlife. Yellowstone says that, “The animals in Yellowstone are wild and unpredictable, no matter how calm they appear to be. The safest (and often best) view of wildlife is from inside a car. Always stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves, and at least 25 yards away from all other animals, including bison and elk.” View comments (3)https://cc92085fa519f57f787eb7ff735222a7.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.htmlhttps://cc92085fa519f57f787eb7ff735222a7.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html
Up nextNew Zealand Man Who Belly Flopped Onto Orca Learns His FateChris Malone MéndezTue, May 21, 2024 at 4:51 PM PDT·1 min read778With the recent string of orcas attacking boats and the nickname of “killer whale,” not to mention their endangered status around the world, one would likely think to stay away from one in the wild. One man in New Zealand recently decided instead to go for a swim with a male orca and his calf. But rather than jump in and swim alongside them, he belly flopped from a boat onto the orca’s in a stunning display caught on video.Now, the man is facing consequences for his actions. According to The Standard, the 50-year-old man has been fined $600 after flopping stomach-first onto the marine mammal. The incident happened in Davenport, Auckland back in February after his friends encouraged him to do it. “I touched it!” he yelled after he came down on the orca.Hayden Loper, an investigator with the New Zealand Department of Conservation, explained in a statement just how bad of an idea it was.”This is stupid behavior and demonstrates a shocking disregard for the welfare of the orca. It is extremely irresponsible,” Loper said. “Orca are immensely powerful animals, and this really could have ended horribly – with either the startled whale being injured, or the man responsible being harmed by the aggravated animal.”He pointed out that the man’s behavior was “a very clear breach of the Marine Mammals Protection Act,” noting that “orca are classified as whales under conservation legislation and it is illegal to swim with whales, or disturb or harass any marine mammal.”https://www.youtube.com/embed/MnVAealCUhMIt’s probably best to admire Lolita from afar. View comments (778)https://cc92085fa519f57f787eb7ff735222a7.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html
Up nextCan you spot the Yellowstone bison and three grizzly bears?Pete ThomasWed, May 22, 2024 at 9:47 AM PDT·1 min read31A guide who leads hiking excursions in Yellowstone National Park on Tuesday shared a “quiz” image via X, asking:“Can you find the lone bison and the three grizzly bears from this picture from Yellowstone National Park?”It’s not a difficult quiz for those who blow up the image. (Answer provided below.)https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=true&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1792944940198264906&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.advnture.com%2Fnews%2Fhikers-mob-moose-photos-yellowstone-doesnt-go-well&sessionId=7da1f50b6788322e3c72267a7ee3e60e242c9f6c&siteScreenName=Yahoo&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550pxBut Douglas Scott’s images from this encounter are interesting because they show a momma grizzly bear with yearling cubs in a seemingly peaceful coexistence with a nearby bison.“The bison was pretty alert, but there were no issues, as bears rarely, if ever try to attack a full-grown bison,” Scott, who runs The Outdoor Society, told FTW Outdoors. “The cubs were definitely were curious about it, occasionally stopping their grazing and watching the bison.”Grizzly bear family walks around bison. Photo: Douglas ScottScott tweeted a second image from the encounter, which shows the bear family walking around the bison, with the bison standing and alert.“Do you see all three grizzlies?” Scott asked his followers. “The bison certainly did.”Scott said the encounter occurred northeast of the Fountain Paint Pots boardwalk on May 10 at 5 p.m.Grizzly bears (left) and bison at the edge of a meadow. Photo: Douglas ScottMay is an excellent month for viewing grizzly bears and bison in Yellowstone National Park, as both species are often in close viewing range with youngsters in tow.Story originally appeared on For The Win
A bison and a calf trot down a road in Yellowstone National Park on Aug. 6, 2018. | Chuck Wing, Deseret NewsApproaching wild animals can be very dangerous. Even those that appear docile and friendly can quickly turn on people and attack.A recent video of tourists at Yellowstone National Park highlights why this advice should be followed and the importance of maintaining a safe distance from wild animals.The footage, taken by a park guest from a safe distance, shows a herd of bison passing through the park while a man seated on a nearby bench remains still. The situation escalates when another group of tourists approaches and obstructs the herd’s path.Someone in the video can be heard saying, “Oh, I don’t think that’s wise.”The bison become agitated and charge at the tourists. Fortunately, the tourists manage to get out of the way in time.https://www.youtube.com/embed/VchqjFCvPJQ?feature=oembedAccording to USA Today, nobody was injured in the exchange.Yellowstone National Park is home to thousands of free-roaming bison. It has the largest population on public lands, per the park’s website.Male bison can weigh up to 2,000 pounds, while females can reach up to 1,000 pounds. These animals can be aggressive and are capable of running up to 30 miles per hour.The park’s guidelines emphasize the unpredictability of its wildlife. Yellowstone says that, “The animals in Yellowstone are wild and unpredictable, no matter how calm they appear to be. The safest (and often best) view of wildlife is from inside a car. Always stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves, and at least 25 yards away from all other animals, including bison and elk.” View comments (3)https://cc92085fa519f57f787eb7ff735222a7.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.htmlhttps://cc92085fa519f57f787eb7ff735222a7.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.htmlhttps://cc92085fa519f57f787eb7ff735222a7.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html
With the recent string of orcas attacking boats and the nickname of “killer whale,” not to mention their endangered status around the world, one would likely think to stay away from one in the wild. One man in New Zealand recently decided instead to go for a swim with a male orca and his calf. But rather than jump in and swim alongside them, he belly flopped from a boat onto the orca’s in a stunning display caught on video.Now, the man is facing consequences for his actions. According to The Standard, the 50-year-old man has been fined $600 after flopping stomach-first onto the marine mammal. The incident happened in Davenport, Auckland back in February after his friends encouraged him to do it. “I touched it!” he yelled after he came down on the orca.Hayden Loper, an investigator with the New Zealand Department of Conservation, explained in a statement just how bad of an idea it was.”This is stupid behavior and demonstrates a shocking disregard for the welfare of the orca. It is extremely irresponsible,” Loper said. “Orca are immensely powerful animals, and this really could have ended horribly – with either the startled whale being injured, or the man responsible being harmed by the aggravated animal.”He pointed out that the man’s behavior was “a very clear breach of the Marine Mammals Protection Act,” noting that “orca are classified as whales under conservation legislation and it is illegal to swim with whales, or disturb or harass any marine mammal.”https://www.youtube.com/embed/MnVAealCUhMIt’s probably best to admire Lolita from afar. View comments (778)https://cc92085fa519f57f787eb7ff735222a7.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.htmlhttps://cc92085fa519f57f787eb7ff735222a7.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html
A guide who leads hiking excursions in Yellowstone National Park on Tuesday shared a “quiz” image via X, asking:“Can you find the lone bison and the three grizzly bears from this picture from Yellowstone National Park?”It’s not a difficult quiz for those who blow up the image. (Answer provided below.)https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=true&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1792944940198264906&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.advnture.com%2Fnews%2Fhikers-mob-moose-photos-yellowstone-doesnt-go-well&sessionId=7da1f50b6788322e3c72267a7ee3e60e242c9f6c&siteScreenName=Yahoo&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550pxBut Douglas Scott’s images from this encounter are interesting because they show a momma grizzly bear with yearling cubs in a seemingly peaceful coexistence with a nearby bison.“The bison was pretty alert, but there were no issues, as bears rarely, if ever try to attack a full-grown bison,” Scott, who runs The Outdoor Society, told FTW Outdoors. “The cubs were definitely were curious about it, occasionally stopping their grazing and watching the bison.”
Grizzly bear family walks around bison. Photo: Douglas ScottScott tweeted a second image from the encounter, which shows the bear family walking around the bison, with the bison standing and alert.“Do you see all three grizzlies?” Scott asked his followers. “The bison certainly did.”Scott said the encounter occurred northeast of the Fountain Paint Pots boardwalk on May 10 at 5 p.m.
Grizzly bears (left) and bison at the edge of a meadow. Photo: Douglas ScottMay is an excellent month for viewing grizzly bears and bison in Yellowstone National Park, as both species are often in close viewing range with youngsters in tow.Story originally appeared on For The Win
Exposing the Big Game 