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OGDEN, Utah (AP) -- Wildlife officials say they're stretched thin dealing with animal problems this winter.
Heavy snow this winter is driving animals down from the mountains in search of food, said Justin Dolling, a regional wildlife manager for the Division of Wildlife Resources.
"We've moved over 50 moose out of Ogden and have responded to over 80 moose since the beginning of January," he said. "We're running 200 complaints a week for dead or injured animals."
In one Ogden yard, a deer carcass has been there for two weeks as workers sort through a long list of incidents.
"The neighborhood cats are picking at it. The birds are picking at it. It's got to be a health hazard," said neighbor Shanna Van Dyke. She said the carcass is beginning to get "stinky and oozy."
DWR has one full-time and three part-time workers to remove carcasses. The division is asking people to be patient and remember that problems have to be prioritized.
"We have to triage all these calls that come in," Dolling said. "A moose that's causing problems in Ogden gets triaged to more of a response than a dead animal. A live animal is more important than one that's already dead."
Information from: Standard-Examiner
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
