Watch: Moose swims alongside paddleboarders at Colorado reservoir
DENVER (KDVR) — Paddleboarders at Chatfield State Park in Littleton, Colorado, were joined by an unexpected guest looking to cool off in the water.
A moose was spotted swimming in Chatfield Reservoir just mere feet from people on paddleboards. Barb Delong captured the amazing video and posted it to Nextdoor.
According to Delong, the massive animal spent around 30 minutes swimming and walking around the reservoir.
She said the moose swam up to a nearby island and walked around before getting back in the water for another lap. It appears the moose was unphased by the humans in its proximity.
While only the moose's snout and large antlers were visible above the surface of the water, moose are known for their intimidating size. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Shiras moose are the largest species of deer with bulls ranging up to nine-and-a-half feet long and six feet tall at the shoulder.
Moose are surprisingly good swimmers considering they weigh over 1,000 pounds. CPW said moose feel very much at home in the water, so it's no surprise to see how calm this animal appeared at Chatfield.
Spotting a moose so close to the city is quite a unique experience, but CPW said moose have been known to wander as far east as Golden, Boulder, and on this day, Littleton.
While this moose appears to have been enjoying its day taking a dip and soaking up the sun, CPW said it's important to stay as far away from the giants as you can.
A good rule to test your distance is to extend your arm out as far as it can go and hold up your thumb as though you are giving the moose a thumbs-up. If you cannot cover the moose with your entire thumb, you are too close.