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Monday, July 23, 2018

Bears and Moose go for Swims!

Hot weather makes wildlife seek cool water. On a whim, I put a trail camera on a fairly "public" pond, in the sense that there's a residential tiny dirt road that goes near it. I've always assumed that it was too public for our secretive wildlife to use. I was wrong.

Bears love to swim in this pond. This smallish bear took a refreshing swim at dusk recently.

The next bear swim was late one afternoon. Don't believe the temperature read-out of the trail camera - they are notoriously inaccurate. It is considered to be scorching hot at our elevation when the temperature is around 85°F (and I've never seen it higher than that). Still, that day was very warm, and the water must have felt wonderful to this bear.

She seemed to want to get her face wet. She kept scooping her snout underwater as she swam playfully.

It turns out that moose like this pond too. It appears to be deep enough for a moose to actually swim. I laughed out loud when I saw this image on the trail camera's tiny LCD screen.
The moose did a couple of laps across the pond, and then did some crazy splashing as she got to the shore. Her splashing reminded me of a puppy learning to swim and banging their paws on the water surface. You'll see it in the video.

On another day, a moose chose to lie in a small water hole for more than an hour. It was a very warm day so perhaps that was the best way to spend the hottest part of the day. She chewed her cud and sniffed the air throughout the hour. Her eyes look crazy - I'd be scared if I saw that look in person!

She eventually got up to leave. It looks very hard for a moose to rise from lying down.

I made a short video of the bears and moose cooling off. I hope that you enjoy it!

21 comments:

  1. Oh that flick was fun to watch both the bear and the moose having fun.

    xo Astro and Mitzie

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  2. I have heard of eating in bed, but not eating in pond. LOL... I could not stop smiling while watching them swim... makes me as happy as it made them

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  3. One of my favorite and least seen are when the moose frolick in the water. They seem to be having so much fun. Splashing and kicking the water. It gives me great joy to know that they play when they can. thanks for the video. without you, I would not get the bear fun.....and I am so glad to see the moose are taking up root in your area......

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  4. Great video! What kind of game camera do you have?

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  5. That water must have felt so refreshing to both of them at 85 degrees!

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  6. Well this is proof positive that water aerobics is good for you and builds strong bones and muscles.Wonderful photos and video
    Hugs madi and mom

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  7. The animals are lucky to have some places to cool off during this hot summer. Thanks for sharing the fun video and pictures.

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  8. We all need some where to cool off on warm summer days! I knew bears liked water but had no idea that moose do as well!

    P.S.: This is Ruby from The Daily Pip. We changed our blog name to My Rescued Life - but wanted you to know, it's still us.

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  9. What fun to watch the locals playing in the swimming hole ;-)!

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  10. How we loved this video!!! The bear seemed to be having a wonderful time in the water, and the moose was so funny when she splashed the water. It is good that the animals have these water spots to cool off. Any more video??? We love them.

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  11. It must be so much fun to check your cameras and find stuff like this. So glad you changed the location as I loved all of this.

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  12. A girls gotta have her bath time!!! loved seeing the moose
    hugs
    Hazel & Mabel

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  13. That was so cool I imagined bears swimming but not moose

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  14. What fun they were having in the water. Great way to beat the heat.

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  15. I love the video. The water no doubt feels so good to them. Soothes bug bites, cools them down. Moose are not at all graceful, I think it's all that leg.

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  16. Beautiful photos that you have captured KB!
    love
    tweedles

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