Moose swim alongside paddleboarders at Colorado Reservoir

DENVER (KDVR) — Paddleboarders at Chatfield State Park in Littleton, Colo., were joined by an unexpected guest looking to cool off in the water.

A moose was spotted swimming in Chatfield Reservoir, just a few feet away from people on paddleboards. Barb Delong captured the amazing video and posted it on Nextdoor.

According to Delong, the massive animal spent about 30 minutes swimming and walking around the tank.

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She said the moose swam to a nearby island and walked around before returning to the water for another lap. The moose appears to have been unphased by humans near it.

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, the Shiras elk is the largest species of deer, with bulls 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 are very much at home in water, so it’s no surprise to see how calm this animal appeared at Chatfield.

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Seeing a moose so close to town is a unique experience, but CPW said moose have been known to roam as far east as Golden, Boulder and, on this day, Littleton.

While this moose seems to be enjoying his day taking a dip and soaking up the sun, CPW said it’s important to stay as far away from the giants as possible.

A good rule of thumb to test your distance is to extend your arm as far as it will go and hold your thumb as if you were giving the moose a thumbs up. If you can’t cover the moose with your whole thumb, you’re too close.

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