DNR hope to prod moose to travel on

Officials warn people to stay away from animal in Abercrombie area

Officials from the provincial Department of Natural Resources are asking people to stay away from a moose that’s been hanging out in the Abercrombie area for over a month.

Photos and videos posted on Facebook show people getting very close to the young male moose, and in one case, causing it to run away.

“Looking for, approaching, feeding, calling, or interacting with the moose in any way jeopardizes the safety of the offender, other people, and the moose,” said DNR biologist Shavonne Meyer. “Doing so can escalate a relatively harmless situation into a hazardous one very quickly. People need to exercise caution, respect, and common sense.”

She said bull moose can be dangerous to people at times, especially if they’re sick, injured, in poor body condition, or when they feel threatened.

Meyer said DNR has been monitoring the moose’s location daily and trying to ensure people understand the proper safe and appropriate behaviour, to ensure their safety and that of the moose.

“Some members of the public have engaged in reckless behaviour and social media have drawn too much attention to the animal. The situation is making it harder to allow the moose to move along in its own time.”

As a result, on Monday DNR began exercises to drive the animal in a safe direction of travel. Meyer said whether this is effective won’t be known for days or possibly weeks. She said tranquilizing the moose and moving it would be done only if absolutely necessary.

“Chemically immobilizing and relocating the moose remains an option but it is a highrisk, last-resort option and is used only when less-invasive measures prove ineffective.”

Meyer said people are “understandably excited to see such a large and charismatic animal as a moose.

While moose are generally calm, they are not tame and they can be very dangerous if harassed.”

She reminds the public that deliberately bothering a moose, which is protected under the Nova Scotia Endangered Species and Wildlife Act, is prohibited by law. The act makes it against the law for anyone to kill, injure, possess, disturb, take, or interfere with an endangered or threatened species.

“DNR strongly encourages people to observe this law and keep well away from this moose.”

Related story: http://www.ngnews.ca/ news/local/2017/3/17/moose-on-theloose-in-abercrombie.html

CAROL DUNN/THE NEWS Too much public attention has caused the Department of Natural Resources to try to encourage this young male moose to move away from the Abercrombie area. This photo was taken with a zoom lens from a vehicle travelling along the road.