WILDLIFE THIRD PLACE Out for a swim (Shiras moose) Grand Teton National Park Denise Williamson | Jackson, Wyoming Nikon D500; 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 1000 I was looking for wildlife to photograph when I came across this cow moose and her days-old calf. I watched the interactions between them as she nursed and groomed her calf before she foraged for herself. Her calf stayed close by as she ate willows. The cow started to get a bit restless as something grabbed her attention. I looked in the direction the cow was focusing on and spotted a grizzly sow and her two yearling cubs in the distance making their way toward the moose rather quickly. The mother moose nudged her calf toward the pond and pushed it in as she followed right behind. The mother swam to the middle of the pond with the grizzlies getting within 75 yards of the pond. The calf struggled at times and splashed hard. I was worried the calf would drown, but the cow kept popping her head under the calf to keep it up. The calf finally got the hang of swimming after some time. The grizzlies had no interest in the moose. They wandered off in the direction of Willow Flats where elk were birthing their calves. The moose guided her calf out of the water and headed in the direction the grizzlies approached from. 10 | February 2024