Canadian Moose cow taken in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario CANADA on Monday April 13, 2009.
First shot of a wild animal in a natural habitat.
Nikon D40, Nikkor VR 55-200mm lens
Although I shot this with my zoom lens , we weren’t that far away but I wanted a good close up. We could hear the sound of her lapping the water. Occasionaly she would look up and slowly survey the surroundings, the crowd that had gathered roadside, and her companions-two other cows and then calmly return to her task at hand. Moose are large magnificent beasts and the crowd was enthralled. I asked my husband if he thought I should cross the small ditch that seperated us to get in closer, but he didn’t think it would be a good idea. Moose are not likely to attack as they have few natural ennemies due to their size, but he was worried that I would provoke her since her two companions did appear to be younger females and could very well have been her offspring.

“Moose typically inhabit boreal and mixed deciduous forests of the Northern Hemisphere in temperate to subarctic climates.
In North America, the moose range includes almost all of Canada, most of central and western Alaska, much of New England and upstate New York, the upper Rocky Mountains, Northeastern Minnesota, and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and Isle Royale in Lake Superior. Isolated moose populations have been verified as far south as the mountains of Utah and Colorado.
On average, an adult moose stands 1.8–2.1 m (6–7 ft) high at the shoulder. Males weigh 380–720 kg (850–1580 pounds) and females weigh 270–360 kg (600–800 pounds).” ~Wikipedia

Featured in All That Is Nature June 2009
Featured in the Canadiana group May 2009
Top ten placement in the Pure Canadiana challenge April 2009