Trail camera captures footage of 'rarely seen' creature deep in woods: 'Awe-inspiring'

A rare animal sighting in the Adirondacks has one photographer giddy, according to Q1057.

Jeff Nadler was able to capture footage of a moose in upstate New York with the help of a trail camera. 

MOOSE! New video, June 2025. Two different angles from my two adjacent cameras. Great Sacandaga Lake area. The 7th year of bull, cow, and calf moose on my trail cams here.

Posted by Jeff Nadler on Thursday, June 5, 2025

The footage shows a moose wandering the forest from two different angles. For the last seven years, Nadler has been able to capture bull, cow, and calf moose in the Great Sacandaga Lake area. Moose in the region have been called "awe-inspiring and highly sought-after, but rarely seen."

In addition to being able to snag some impressive photography, trail cameras are important tools in monitoring wildlife health. Researchers have been able to use them to learn more about elusive species such as the pangolin, Upemba lechwe antelope, and African leopards. Keeping a distance from animals is also much safer for the photographer and keeps stress levels low for the wildlife. 

As human habitation eats into natural habitat and increasingly severe climate makes survival a greater challenge, wildlife needs all the help it can get. Accurate readings on population via trail cameras can help determine if protections are working, and justify greater ones if needed. 

Moose in the Adirondacks are no exception. There are only about 700 moose in the area, making sightings relatively rare. The species was completely absent from New York by the 1860s due to hunting and habitat loss. Many recovery programs failed to reintroduce moose in the aftermath, but wild populations began to migrate on their own back to the state by the 1980s. Moose continue to face uphill challenges, primarily through motor vehicle accidents, though sometimes moose take the fight to the cars. Parasites are also a challenge. Populations in New York remain stable but flat.

Moose are fine to look at, but they also play important ecosystem roles. 

One study suggested that moose simultaneously help and hinder climate efforts. They feed on young saplings, preventing the growth of trees mature enough to sequester carbon. However, the reduced canopy coverage increases a forest's albedo, that is, its ability to reflect sunlight rather than absorb it. This makes for an overall beneficial cooling effect.  

With all of those headwinds facing such a majestic species, Facebook commenters were excited by Nadler's moose footage. 

"He's gorgeous. Love those antlers in velvet. Well done, Jeff!" said one community member. 

"He is stunning, Jeff!" said another viewer. 

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