This is One of Utah’s Most Dangerous Animals

When you think of dangerous animals in Utah, bears, rattlesnakes, mountain lions and even wolves might come to mind.  Moose have only inhabited Utah for about 100 years, but they’ve multiplied rapidly -- today nearly 4,500 call our state home. The Shiras moose (also called the Wyoming moose) might look kind of clumsy and goofy, but don’t underestimate him. Check out these photos and video of one of Utah’s most dangerous animals.

The Shiras subspecies is one of the smallest moose, but it still reaches up to 1,000 pounds. Its antlers can reach four feet wide. This guy doesn’t look very small, does he?

We often see moose wandering around our canyons and even on Park City’s Main Street, where people are brave enough to come within just a few feet of these large, typically docile animals. This photo was taken in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

During the rut, young bull moose are moody and unpredictable. As this photo was taken during the rut in September, the bull moose here started thrashing the bushes and trees, showing his agitation. The photographer promptly left (probably a wise move).

Cows with young calves can also become aggressive.

This video, shared by Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, shows just how fast (and how large!) a moose on the move can be. Warning: There is a bit of strong language heard in the background -- mute the sound if you don’t want to hear it. These skiers certainly found out how scary a full-grown moose on the move can be!

Running mooseMoose are fast! Even in chest-high snow. This is a good reminder to keep your distance.See the entire clip: https://j.mp/fastmooseWarning: video contains some strong language.Posted by Utah Division of Wildlife Resources on Friday, January 30, 2015

Have you ever had a scary encounter with a moose? Tell us about it!