This moose decided to attack in an instant.
The running theme of the summer of 2021 seems to be people getting too close to the wild animals. Look, we get it, after the nightmare that was 2020, a lot of us have some pent-up cabin fever and we want to get out and experience more of nature again. However, it seems some people have forgotten wild animals are not your friends.
Because video keeps popping up of people who are getting way too close for comfort. Some of them have also faced consequences from their actions.
One animal one should never trifle with is the moose. Sure, they may look big and clumsy, but they are faster and meaner than you think. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department posted a video on their social media channels showing just how quickly these big guys can get aggressive.
The person who shot this video was uninjured in the incident according to CPW. They are using this incident and the video as a demonstration on how quickly one of these animals can decide to get aggressive with a human.
"The individual came upon the bull while walking along a willow bottom heading towards a lake in Clear Creek County," CPW wrote on Facebook. "Thankfully, no injuries occurred as this person managed to get behind a tree and the moose hit the tree."
To be fair to the person who shot the video, they probably thought the first tree would protect them. However, they were still too close to the animal. CPW warns that moose will stand their ground against humans and that if you see one licking its snout, pinning its ears back, or raising hackles on its back, it may be ready to attack.
CPW recommends putting something large and solid between yourself and the animal if you are charged, like a rock, vehicle, or tree. In the case of this video, it worked. Keep in mind that moose can charge more than 30 miles per hour. Not even the fastest Olympic sprinters can outrun a moose when it is angry. A good rule of thumb is to use the National Park Service's rules of staying at least 25 yards away from large herbivores like this. Preferably, you will want to stand even further back than that. As you saw here, they can cover a lot of ground in a hurry!
Products featured on Wide Open Spaces are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
NEXT: THE AXIS DEER AND HOW THEY'RE IMPACTING PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES
WATCH
