🫎Moose! Reason’s not to speed on hwy 550! The San Juan National Forest is fortunate to be a habitat or the Shiras moose, who have formed a residential breeding population since reintroduction to CO started back in the ‘70s. Satatistics from ‘24 gave an estimated 450 moose to the San Juan National Forest. 🏔️You’ll only spot these massive creatures in higher elevations. Heat and moose don’t mix well… which isn’t surprising, since they emerged from the most recent ice age! 🌡️So how are the moose

The Shiras moose, scientifically known as Alces alces shirasi, is the smallest and most geographically isolated subspecies of moose found in North America. Typically inhabiting the mountainous regions of the western United States and parts of Canada, these moose are well-adapted to a diverse range of habitats, from dense forests to open meadows. Shiras moose are characterized by their smaller size compared to other moose subspecies, with adult males, known as bulls, weighing between 800 to 1,200