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Sam Penrod reportingPark City residents got to see nature close-up again today. This time a moose was on the loose in a neighborhood.
Seeing wildlife in your backyard this time of year, especially with all of the snow this winter, is becoming more common. In this case the moose was a calf, but any moose is still a very big animal. Wildlife managers warn the animals have the potential to be dangerous if you get too close.
The young moose wandered the streets of Park City. Like other wildlife right now, it's facing challenges to find food because of the deep snow.
Craig Clyde, DWR wildlife game manager, said, "Moose are long-legged. They can plow through the snow and usually stay at high elevations. That's harder on their calves, and the calves have to push through that, as well. So this time of year we get calves separated from their mothers."
So in cases like this, wildlife managers prefer to use a dart gun to sedate the moose so it can be safely moved.
"We were able to dart it, push it down the road. The drug takes about a minute and a half to take effect. In that minute and a half we have time to move the animal and get ahold of it," Clyde explained.
Once the moose is down, it's loaded into a horse trailer and given reversal drugs so it can get back on its feet. A short drive to Heber Valley and this moose was free again, relocated to DWR-owned wildlife management property.
Not every case works out like this, but it is rewarding for wildlife biologists to see an animal moved back to the wild.
"We don't want to see an animal die if it's unnecessary, so we'll come in and immobilize the animal. This one worked out really well. It was on th side of a house. We were able to get behind it so it didn't get over fences and in deep place where it's hard for us and dangerous for the animal," Clyde said.
The DWR says we can expect more moose sightings through the winter. If you see a moose in your neighborhood, make sure you keep your distance and contact Wildlife Resources.
