Officials euthanize moose seen strolling through Fredericton over concerns of possible collision
A young moose that made its way through the Fredericton Tuesday had to be euthanized, according to the province’s Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development.
Some people caught a moose on camera strolling through certain neighbourhoods earlier in the day. The department later received a call Tuesday evening that the moose was in a high traffic area on the city’s southside.
“Staff and City Police lead the moose to a forested area in the Bishop Drive area but unfortunately the moose returned to the street/highway and had to be euthanized, due to the concern for a potential collision with vehicles on the highway,” a department spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
Security video from a car dealership near the Smythe Street roundabout shows several Fredericton police vehicles, with their lights on, slowly following the moose through the roundabout.
“I was pretty amazed, I had to come outside and watch it because it’s not something you see — a moose walking up the road — every day,” said Skylar Constable, who saw the moose while on shift at a local business in the area.
Officials said moose “generally try to avoid confrontations with people,” but it’s not uncommon for a young moose to find themselves in city limits after being pushed away by their pregnant mothers in the spring.
University of New Brunswick professor in wildlife ecology Graham Forbes said the moose appeared to be young, likely a one-year-old yearling.
“The females that are carrying their young, they don't have the ability to also look after last year's calf, which is now a yearling. So they start getting aggressive towards them. And scare them away,” he said. “The mothers do this this time of year, and so you get these young moose that are now looking for a new place. And that's just by bad luck, they've taken a turn into a place they don't really want to be in or live in.”
After looking at some video taken by onlookers, Forbes said he didn’t feel the moose was suffering from brainworm – a parasite that can cause deer or moose to exhibit peculiar behaviour.
It’s not uncommon to see a moose make its way into the city, he said, noting Fredericton likely sees one every couple of years.
It’s a good reminder for the public not to get too close.
“They might be scared and could act erratically. And they've got long legs and they can kick hard. So never try to touch or push it along or anything like that,” he said. “It's a large animal that weighs hundreds and hundreds of pounds and therefore could cause serious damage to your vehicle or to yourself.”
For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Slovakia's populist prime minister shot multiple times in attempted assassination
Slovakia's populist Prime Minister Robert Fico is in life-threatening condition after being wounded in a shooting after a political event Wednesday afternoon, according to his Facebook profile.
Transport Canada's UFO 'lead' planned to meet with U.S. intel officials, called info requests a 'wild goose chase'
Canada's transportation department had a UFO 'lead' who tried to 'quell' media interest and planned to meet with U.S. intelligence officials.
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver handed a cell phone ticket for using points app in McDonald's drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
'The Fly' has become notorious in France after a brazen escape. What's his criminal history?
A prisoner nicknamed “The Fly” has become notorious in France overnight after a daring and bloody escape from a prison convoy in Normandy that left two guards dead.
BREAKING Ontario's 'crypto king' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed 'crypto king' from Whitby, Ont., has been arrested in Durham Region after allegedly running a Ponzi scheme worth more than $40 million.
BREAKING Barge hits a bridge in Texas, damaging the structure and causing an oil spill
A barge hit a bridge in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to a small island, officials said.
Person responsible for 1996 drugging of 'Titanic' crew likely not a local: Halifax police
Halifax Regional Police believe a non-resident could be responsible for the infamous drugging of numerous crew members of the 'Titanic' movie with a hallucinogenic in 1996.
Latest updates on the biggest wildfires burning in Canada
Thousands of people in Western Canada remain displaced from their homes as wildfires threaten their communities, triggering evacuation orders and alerts.
OPINION Your attention span is shrinking, studies say. Here's how to stay focused: Sandee LaMotte
Regaining your focus requires you to be mindful of how you are using technology -- a daunting task if you consider the average American spends at least 10 hours a day on screens.