Daily News from New York, New York • 168

I TRAVEL Moose on the loose in Maine wild things 't's called Moosehead Lake all year, but this unspoiled region of Maine truly earns its name from spring through summer's end, when moose emerge from their forest home. With one of the greatest concentrations of moose in North III II III Ml IIMWII ll limUM Ml IIU1IJI1IJHIIIII ll.l If you're game, hop a seaplane, canoe or Range Rover for a peek at some of nature's biggest beastiest 5 Stare at a bear in Yellowstone nyone who's visited Yellowstone National Park is familiar with the phenomenon of bear jams. Though moose, bison and elk get tourists to stop and stare, a sight America (there are 30,000 of them statewide), it's an ideal spot for a moose safari. The antlered giants start arriving in mid-May when aquatic plants flourish, drawing the hungry animals to swampy areas to feast. The Bull winkles are visible into fall, when they travel high into the mountains in search of spruce and fix needles.

Range Rovers are handy for finding elephants and lions, but a moose safari is best undertaken by canoe or kayak. Bruce Hamilton, the innkeeper of the Lodge at Moosehead Lake, offers visitors a sunrise canoe trip on West Branch Pond, a pristine pool where moose gather to dine on pond grasses and submerge themselves to avoid flying pests. The silent canoe lets wildlife watchers get as close as possible to moose and local birds, flora and beaver dams. If your accommodations don't include a guided canoe ride, arrange for a personal guide or boat rental through Moosehead Escapes (207-695-4441, www.mooseescapes.com). More adventurous types may prefer a seaplane safari.

From above, moose, along with the occasional bear, are spotted in rivers and lakes (they're excellent swimmers), and the aerial views of Moosehead Lake and its 300 islands are spectacular. Folsom's Air Service (207-695-2821) departs from Greenville. The best thing about a Moosehead Lake safari is that you can take one for no cost at all: just get in the car and drive along the wooded roads at dawn and dusk. The chances are good that you'll see moose, bald eagles, fox and rabbits. An early morning hike is another option and a good way to observe moose in their habitat.

A three-hour trek and rock climb at Borestone Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary offers fantastic views of the surrounding mountains and is not overly strenuous. If you see moose on the trail, keep your distance. Like all wildlife, they can be aggressive. Greenville, a one-traffic-light town on the south shore of the lake, is a lovely place to take a break, whether you're scouring for antiques at Kamp Kamp, browsing for beaver caps at Moosehead Traders or grabbing a bite and a beer at the Black Frog. For a delicious, inexpensive meal that feels like dropping in on old friends, try Spring Creek Bar-B-Q in Monson (about 15 miles south of Greenville) relaxed, friendly atmosphere is typical of the reception you get in this serene land of pines and ponds.

Chrissy Persico matter what their fitness level. Just minutes away from crowded vistas are paths shaded with lodgepole pine and spruce trees that feel miles away from the busy roads. Piecing together a coyote skeleton with a naturalist or finding bear, coyote and crane prints in a soft mud bed is surprisingly thrilling, conveying the animals' presence in a way that is almost more powerful than seeing them from afar. Yellowstone's many visitor centers have information on self-led tours and where to find wildlife in specific areas of the park: bison in grasslands, wolves in the Lamar Valley (where they hunt grazing elk), pronghorn sheep and mountain goats on cliffs. If you prefer a guide, the Parks Service offers half-day Ranger Adventure Hikes into the backcountry through Aug.

30), as well as ranger-led programs, including "Wildlife Wanderings," which focuses on a different animal daily (free, through Sept. 1). Serious nature enthusiasts should consider a more intensive program led by the Yellowstone Institute (307) 344-2294. Wildlife Ed-ventures, one-day educational driving tours that include instruction from a biologist, are $55 and run through Labor Day. The four-day Lodging and Learning program includes wildlife watching, animal tracking and accommodations in Yellowstone summer and fall).

Contact the Yellowstone National Park Service (307-344-7381) for information on winter hours or Yellowstone National Park Lodges (307-344-73 1 1, www.travelyellowstone.com) for accommodations. -Chrissy Persico ing of much-rarer coyotes, black bears and, the most coveted of all, grizzlies, is usually indicated by crowds of RVs and cars along the park's narrow roads. While shutters click and video cameras zoom, wildlife go about their business, now and then acknowledging their captive audience. The chance to see wildlife roaming, hunting and raising young in their natural habitat draws hordes of tourists to Yellowstone, the country's first national park, in northwest Wyoming. Yellowstone's 2.2 million acres are home to 4,000 bison, between 300 and 600 grizzlies, 500 black bears, 200 wolves, 500 moose and 20,000 to 40,000 elk, along with smaller critters and 311 species of birds.

Because the average visitor allows only a day and a half to explore the park, many people rarely leave their cars, driving to scenic vistas and searching for animals at pulloffs. But skipping a hike means missing out on the full experience of Yellowstone's peaceful beauty, and the opportunity to search for animals on their own turf. Yellowstone has a hike for everyone, no nun VENICE SIMPtOIORIENTXPRESS LTD KING OF THE PLAIN In the Savute Channel of Chobe National Park, Simba, Ngonyama, leeu and imbube all refer to the same thing the mane event. were, and where they were headed. On the lookout for Although game aficionados travel to Botswana to foio avoid Kenya's trademark traffic iams.

resulting from too many tourists lined up to peer at the same herd lions in Botswana bf animals, the guides from each private camp let u'Jtneir colleagues Know when they ve spotted elusive I prey. But because the sheer numbers of elephants, antelopes, buffalo, monkeys, giraffes and zebra that rntroam throughout Chobe's 6,550 square miles of wbfwildemess mean vou can't turn vour head without hen people hear that you're i planning an African safari, they have plenty of advice: Get some anti-malaria tablets. Bring binoculars. Figure out how much aribseeing one (or more), there's no need to broadcast a film you think you need, then buy twice as of any of them. But I took an informal poll, and it turned out that nl In fact, after an afternoon spent lounging on ham-no one had counseled any of the 12 other guests fo mocks on the decks of our luxury tents as a herd of staying in my camp in Botswana's Chobe National riieight adolescent elephants lumbered not 10 feet Park on a key preparation for a good time in the away; we were all ready for something different, bush: Learn the African words for lion.

rn.Something a little more exciting. Something with re- sundowner" cocktail when Dennis said that if we would be willing to let him drive the Land Rover much more quickly than was usual we might be able to make it the 25 kilometers over to where Joe's group had spotted something interesting. Twenty minutes later we saw the outline of Joe's truck set against the backdrop of a brilliant African sunset. Dennis motioned for us to be quiet, and to sit very still as he inched slowly forward. There, in the shade of a thorn tree, was a pride of five lions, two males and three females.

We sat in awe for about 10 minutes, just watching them as they went about their business of grooming and playing, trying not to move too quickly as we positioned ourselves to get the best angle with our cameras. As Dennis navigated his way through the tangled bush and back onto the road, I expressed my surprise that he took us to see lions when I'd been eavesdropping on his conversations with Joe and had heard no mention. Dennis just laughed and suggested I expand my vocabulary beyond the Disney guide to the African bush, and learn a few words in some of the other local languages. It turns out that while "simba" means lion in Swahili, it's "imbube in Zulu," "tau" for Dennis and other Setswana, "Ngonyama" in the Xhosa language, and, because many guides were taught to read in Afrikaans, the word "leeu" might also come in handy. For more information on Savute Elephant Camp, or on additional Orient Express properties in Botswana, call (Oil) 27 11 481 6052 or go to www.orient-express.com Colleen Curtis naving oeen on game anves Derore, I ngurea yauy snarp teeth.

was set. As Dennis, our young Setswana guide, -1 uiiiwiiiihSN Wk 'lia -b'V- -liSi, a So when do you think we'll see some lions?" I asked Dennis. He pointed out a pair of giraffes about a hundred yards away and mentioned how long they can go without stopping for a drink. "But what about those lions?" I persisted, jumping up and down on my seat in the back. Dennis explained that his camp, and all of the camps run by Orient-Express, never guarantee guests they will see the Big Five, as Africa's most dangerous animals lions, leopards, elephants, rhino and buffalo are collectively known, but you could tell he would be crushed if we were in any way disappointed.

Suddenly the radio cackled again, but after a quick exchange, and no mention of "Simba," I figured we might have to wait until the morning. I was preparing to console myself with the African custom of a steered the Land Rover away from Elephant Camp and into the Savute Channel, he chatted about the park, the camp and his country. As he drove, his two-way radio would periodically emit a quick burst and the voice of Joe, another tracker who had left camp right before us, would come through. As soon as I'd hear the crackle, I was alert for the sound I'd been eagerly anticipating since we'd touched down in Maun three days earlier, the word that would signal that we were hot on the heels of the most beautiful of the big cats, the quietly murmured "Simba." This, I explained to the others on the drive, meant a tracker had spotted a lion or, even better, a pride of lions and was telling his colleagues where they Vs." Q. to 8 HORNS APLENTY A chocolate-colored moose out for an amble in the Maine woods.

FAMILY OUTING A mama grizzly and her cubs pause by a wilderness stream. CO.