Well, this was quite a scene two weekends ago in Rocky Mountain National Park. Photographing moose is not usually an action packed kind of thing but this was an exception.
Initially, a bull moose in his prime and a cow and calf were hanging out at this pond. All was quiet and calm but then, from the forest, emerged a yearling bull. As the younger one got closer, it was clear the adults were not happy to see it. The older bull went out to greet it but decided to avoid conflict.
Then the yearling got closer to the mama moose and things changed considerably. Ears went back, heads went down and it was clear mama did not like this young intruder being anywhere near her calf. After a brief greeting, mama decided the young one needed to go and launched at the yearling, trying to stomp it – action captured in this image.
With his potential lover upset, the big bull then intervened, chasing the yearling away, temporarily. The situation remained tense for a while with the yearling pushing his luck and the big bull chasing it off again.
It was very cool to see this interaction and showed how mama moose are quick to defend their young – and how you sure would not want to be on the wrong side of her mood!