Title: On Golden Pond

Description:  As Fall colors peak, a moose visits this beaver pond near Jefferson Lake in Park County, Colorado. This is a pristine mountain setting within the Pike National Forest. Moose sightings are more rare than other animals like elk or deer, so when they happen it is a treat to be enjoyed (at a safe distance of course). When I came across this cow as I was exploring the Fall colors, she was more than happy to pose for about 30 minutes before she grew tired of the paparazzi at the pond (that's me)! Moose seek shallow lakes, ponds and wetlands where they feed on aquatic plants for the mineral sodium concentrated in these emergent and submerged plants. Water is also a refuge in another way – with their long legs, moose will sometimes seek the safety of water to avoid predators. A moose can stand in a river where a wolf would be swept away, and they are much faster swimmers than any of our local predators. So moose are often found near water.

"On Golden Pond" is part of the Limited Edition Collection: Into the Wild - Intimate Encounters.