A woman narrowly avoided being trampled when she attempted to pet a moose in Colorado

A video of a close encounter between a woman and a moose in Colorado highlights why it's never a good idea to try and pet wildlife, no matter how docile they may appear.

Captured by professional photographer Anna Stonehouse, the video shows a woman approaching a moose on the side of the road in Breckenridge. As she reaches out to touch it, bystanders shout at her to flee.

The moose swivels around and attempts to kick her.

“I thought I was about to witness her getting stomped to death!” Stonehouse exclaimed on Facebook.

Once the unidentified woman finally backed off, the moose calmly wandered over to a bush and began nibbling on some leaves in peace.

The woman was issued a ticket for wildlife harassment, as reported by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Twitter account.

“Are we sounding like a broken record? Sorry, but not sorry. LEAVE WILDLIFE WILD. DO NOT FEED OR PET,” the organization stated in a post.

This advice is particularly crucial when it comes to moose.

“Each year, more people are attacked by moose than by any other species of wildlife,” District Wildlife Manager Elissa Slezak explained in a video on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website.

The agency clarified that curious moose are often found in Colorado's mountain towns and suburbs. Unlike most animals that flee from humans, moose tend to stand their ground and will charge if they feel threatened.

Especially if humans happen to get between them and a tasty snack.