A wayward moose is back on the loose in Connecticut after officers helped free the animal from a neighborhood fence.
According to a Facebook post by the Connecticut State Environmental Police, a resident reported the incident around midnight on Saturday, October 1. The caller believed the moose was impaled by the fence. But when wardens arrived, they saw that it was not hurt. The animal had just gotten its front legs over the fence and became stuck.
“[The moose couldn’t] get his rear legs over and his belly kept him from going backward,” the department wrote. “After some discussion, the decision was made to call in the fire dept to cut one end of the fence and pull the panel down with a truck slowly.”
.”https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FCTEnConPolice%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02TTeNVVkUioimtX8mcGctx7Kd54yp5mtutLfTcqgpeVVYbyRPC9grnqruMxbniZSul&show_text=true&width=500Firefighters with the Barkhamsted Fire Dept ended up using the jaws of life to cut a part of the fence. And the weight of the giant animal was enough to break another portion, causing it to fall to the ground.
It only took about 15 seconds for the moose to realize it was free. Once it did, it slowly began walking away and then eventually took off in a “slow jog” until it disappeared near a reservoir.
In the post, the department included a video of the rescue that shows the confused animal assessing its freedom before checking back with officers and escaping into the night.
Moose Sightings in Connecticut are Incredibly Rare
Moose aren’t common in Connecticut. In fact, The Lakeville Journal reports that only 100 to 150 live in the entire state. But one—presumably the recently rescued moose—had prompted the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to issue a warning to motorists after several people reported sightings. One such sighting took place in a Danbury movie theater parking lot.
“Although usually wary of people, moose can feel threatened and become aggressive,” the department said. “They also may demonstrate unpredictable behavior if they wander into populated areas. Under no circumstances should moose be approached.”
The environmental conservation police wrote that breeding season likely drew the unlucky moose out of the woods. Because they are out searching for a mate, bulls often find “themselves in awfully peculiar spots,”
“Huge shoutout to Barkhamsted Fire and the Connecticut State Police Troop B!,” the department added.
In the post, the bull is seen with a missing antler. Wardens noted that “this moose was not harmed in any way.” And it didn’t lose its antler in the struggle. So they assume he lost it while battling with another bull.