SILVERTHORNE, Colo. (KDVR) – A majestic-looking reminder to always be careful when driving along Colorado’s roadways was captured on film this week when a moose was seen walking down Interstate 70 in the high country.
Hibernation season approaches for some of Colorado’s wildlife, but not every species will remain burrowed away for the entirety of the winter season.
As driving conditions become more of a challenge with the incoming winter accumulation, keep in mind that there are living hazards that can surprise even the most seasoned of motorists.
It’s not known where this moose was headed but the public can be grateful that it exited stage right before it, or any driver, had an unfortunate start to their day.
What wildlife officer says about moose encounters on roadways
Also of note, it’s better to swerve away from the animals on major roadways rather than hit them, especially those of this size. Moose can reach up to 1,500 pounds. Rachael Gonzales with Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the video of the moose should serve as a reminder to pay attention on mountain roads.
“With wildlife, they’re everywhere in Colorado and so we will have wildlife that will cross these busy intersections whether it be major highways or even those smaller highways like Highway 9 or 13 once you get up towards that Craig and Meeker area,” Gonzales said.
Though this isn’t a rare sight on our Colorado roads, you could be seeing more if it wasn’t for the more than 60 wildlife crossings the Colorado Department of Transportation has installed throughout the state.
“We do have wildlife crossing and the intent is it’s not only for the safety of wildlife but it’s also for the safety of motorists,” Gonzales said. “They’re there to provide that safe crossing whether it be an overpass as we see in some areas or an underpass as we see in others to make sure that the animals are able to safely cross without impacting potential collisions with motorists.”