Aspen warns of ‘unpredictable’ bull moose in town

A bull moose that has spent the past three springs in the Rio Grande Park and Roaring Fork River area of Aspen is back in town, and the city of Aspen is cautioning everyone to be extra cautious around the animal.

Lara Xaiz, Aspen’s wildlife coordinator, confirmed the moose has been around for the past three weeks or so. But on Tuesday, May 20, Xaiz witnessed multiple people engaging in dangerous behavior that increased the risk of conflict with what she calls the “unpredictable” species.

That behavior included walking by with earbuds in and approaching the moose at an unsafe distance to get photos. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, moose can cover ground more quickly than most would think — up to 35 miles per hour.

A third-hand account told Xaiz that the moose subtly bluff-charged one pedestrian who walked by too closely while listening to music.

“We’re letting people know they’re unpredictable and one of the most dangerous animals we have,” Xaiz said. “We’d rather people be more cautious than not.”

Changing a moose’s behavior is the number one thing to avoid, according to Xaiz. She emphasized dog owners must keep pets leashed in areas where a moose is active, since moose see dogs as a threat. If an unleashed pet runs back toward its owner as the moose chases it, the owner becomes a target for attack.

“That’s one of the most dangerous situations we can have in our public spaces,” Xaiz said.

If an individual notices a moose has stopped eating, put its ears down, or raised its hackles, Xaiz recommends getting behind something really big like a tree or rock boulder immediately. And if a moose ever does bluff or trample, it’s critical to stay put and protect the neck/head area. 

If attacked by a moose, a person should not move for a while even after the moose backs off, as the species is known to turn back and re-attack if it sees movement.  

But, moose aren’t the enemy. Xaiz said that, despite their unpredictability, moose have become a staple part of the Aspen community in the past seven years as Xaiz said numbers have been increasing, with little actual injury. To her knowledge, there have only been two reports of a moose making physical contact with a person over the past five years.

Xaiz recommends residents and visitors keep CPW’s page on living with moose bookmarked to reference as needed. The page can be found at https://cpw.state.co.us/living-moose.

“We all get too comfortable, whether it’s bears or moose,” Xaiz said. “If we’re changing its behavior, we’re too close. Give those animals respect.”

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