JACKSON, Wyo. — A video of a moose sprinting down a ski trail in the Jackson area has gotten national media attention this week.
Outlets including Today, ABC News, TMZ and Fox News have shared the video, originally shot by Alex Momot, Kenneth William Rynearson and William Fohey II.
The moose is moving at top speed, indicating that the animal is in distress. Plenty of moose hang around recreational ski areas in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, often just out of sight of high-traffic trails.
“It is not uncommon for moose to use groomed ski and snowboard trails because the trails make it easier for moose to move through snowy areas,” the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Public Information Officer Breanna Ball told Buckrail. “Moose typically are non-aggressive but can be startled and become defensive when people move into their space. In this case, the moose is being pressured by skiers and snowboarders.”
Ball shared the following safety tips for those recreating in moose country:
- Avoid spooking a moose by being aware of your surroundings and making noise
- Give the moose plenty of space to move freely, at least 25 yards, and back away slowly if you are close to a moose
- Keep an eye out for moose sign, like fresh tracks in the snow, and if you see sign, avoid the area
- Always keep your pet on a leash
- If you are charged by a moose, try to put objects like a tree between you and the moose
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort could not be reached for comment.
