Alberta Wildlife euthanize moose found with serious injuries

The Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services say they were forced to euthanize a moose Tuesday after it was found with serious injuries.

The animal was first spotted Monday lying near the median on the Trans-Canada Highway near WinSport and the Bowfort Towers art installation.

Fish and Wildlife officers, along with the Calgary Police Service (CPS), monitored the moose overnight and Monday morning and decided to “immobilize the animal to check for any injuries.”

When they did, they found the moose had “serious injuries to its head and one of its hind legs.”

“In some circumstances, wildlife that are injured by vehicles on roadways can recover and will be left alone to recover,” a statement from spokesperson Luis Carlos Flores Aguilar reads.

“In this particular case, it was determined that the best course of action was to euthanize the animal to prevent prolonging its suffering during transportation and due to the animal’s inability to deal with predators as a result of the injuries suffered.”

As a result, rangers are providing several tips to avoid a collision with a moose.

They say moose may be drawn to roadways for easy travel or the roadside vegetation and are often active at sunset or sunrise, so drivers are asked to adjust their driving habits and be alert when travelling on roads bordered by trees or other coverings.

Rangers also say to slow down on the road, to pay attention to the yellow, diamond-shaped wildlife warning signs, which are installed near areas with more wildlife-vehicle collisions.

Moose also frequent rivers, streams, and wetlands, so drivers are asked to exercise caution when driving near these bodies of water.

The wildlife service says honking at moose isn’t encouraged as it may charge the vehicle, and it’s important to brake firmly if any animal is directly in a vehicle’s path. Swerving could result in “striking another vehicle or losing control of your own car.”

Lastly, drivers are asked to leave plenty of room on the road, drive slowly when going around an animal on or near a road, and note that a startled animal might run in any direction.

It’s unclear if any people were hurt.

CityNews has reached out to CPS for comment.

Morte information about moose safety can be found online.