Safety Where Deer, Antelope Play

The minivan screeched to a sudden halt on the winding road.

“A MOOSE!,” my husband, Andy, said, pointing excitedly.

It was the first animal we’d seen since driving into Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming and the kids couldn’t scramble out of the car fast enough, grabbing cameras as they went.

They kept a respectful distance from the huge, beautiful creature which, incidentally, ignored our presence completely. It was too busy concentrating on lunch, some grass in the marsh.

The kids were so enthralled by the sight of a wild animal in its own world that we had trouble getting them to leave, even after the moose ambled out of sight.

Making our way through three national parks in the West that week, we saw more moose, as well as elk, bison, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, deer, a bald eagle and even a bear.

Nearly a year later, Matt, Reggie and Melanie regard the animals they saw up close as the stellar part of our trip to Wyoming and Montana.

These days, increasing numbers of Americans are grabbing their binoculars and heading outside to look for wildlife--nearly 30 million people a year, according to a study by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Mark Duda, a Virginia wildlife expert and consultant in the study, said the numbers of Americans taking trips for the primary purpose of viewing wildlife has jumped more than 60% in the decade between 1980 and 1990. “It’s a response to increased environmental awareness and the desire to be outside,” said Duda, whose latest book, “Wildlife Viewing in America,” will be released in the fall by Falcon Press.

Children and parents alike should learn to embrace a healthy respect for animals before they head out to see them, park rangers urge. This is for their safety and for the safety of the animals too. That’s also true if they’re planning to visit zoo animals.

Too many people at the zoo and on hiking trails try to feed the animals. That’s one of the worst things we can do: They’ll grow dependent on human food and even worse, may become aggressive when they can’t get any.

National park rangers note that animals who become accustomed to handouts along roads tend to linger there, causing car and animal accidents.

“Remember that these animals are wild. Don’t get too close,” said Yellowstone spokeswoman Cheryl Matthews. A good rule of thumb: If the animals react to your presence, you’re too close.

Don’t throw things at the animals, yell at them or stick fingers in their cages, said Georgeanne Irvine, a spokesman for the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

At national parks, stop and ask park rangers to suggest good viewing spots to take the kids. But be careful. Even small otherwise harmless creatures such as squirrels can bite if children get too close.

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Taking the Kids appears weekly.