Aggressive moose attacked 2 people; calf killed in crash: Fish and Wildlife

Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers are searching for a moose they say attacked two people in Edmonton while protecting her calf, which was later hit and killed

Public trails in Forest Heights were closed on Monday because of sightings of an aggressive moose and calf.

Fish and wildlife officers were deployed to search for the animals but say the calf was hit by a vehicle and died early Tuesday morning. They are still looking for the cow.

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The moose attacked two people who sustained non-life threatening injuries but they are both OK, Fish and Wildlife said.

Trails in the northern part of the neighbourhood between the Riverside Golf course and Wayne Gretzky Drive will not be reopened until it is safe to do so, the city said.

“We’ve had occurrences where she’s been in backyards, along green spaces, or like running along roads or back alleys or in people’s yards,” Insp. Mitch Visser with Alberta Fish and Wildlife told CTV News Edmonton.

Visser said it’s not uncommon to see wildlife in the river valley, but he suspects this moose has been living inside the city “for some time.”

“(Moose) are unpredictable by nature but there are certain times a year when they can be more aggressive,” Visser explained. “In springtime, when cows have their newborn cows, it’s one of those times when they can be more aggressive. A cow will be defensive or protective of her young ones. And based on what we’ve seen in the evidence … it seems that this cow is very defensive and aggressive, protecting her young calf.”

According to Alberta Fish and Wildlife Enforcement, moose are not normally aggressive but a cow moose with a calf may charge if she feels threatened. Officials told the public not to approach calves, as mothers are very protective and usually nearby.

Warning signs of an agitated moose include raised neck and back hair, pinned ears, snorting or lip licking.

Sightings can be reported to 310-0000 or 1-800-642-3800 after hours.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Amanda Anderson