Moose euthanized after wandering too close to highway

A moose was euthanized early Monday morning after officials said it became a safety hazard and wandered too close to Interstate 91.

Officials at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said they received a report of a moose within 20 feet of Interstate 91 southbound and the Route 20 exit ramp in Windsor Locks. DEEP’S Environmental Conservation Police euthanized the moose after consulting with state police.

“When moose are roaming in high-traffic areas such as public highways, agency policy states that moose within 500 feet of an interstate highway are imminent threats to public safety and shall be euthanized,” said DEEP spokesperson Will Healey in a statement to the Courant.

Healey said DEEP’S policy is the result of multiple studies that show a car vs. moose collision is 13 times more likely to result in a human fatality than a car vs. deer collision. An adult male moose can weigh between 800 to 1,500 pounds compared to an adult male deer which weighs 150 to 300 pounds. That extra weight often results in far more damage during vehicle collisions.

“The large weight and height of moose make them particularly dangerous to motorists and, when struck, moose often end up impacting vehicle windshields,” Healey said. “Tranquilization of large animals such as moose near an extremely busy highway can create further risks. Tranquilizers don’t take effect immediately and during that time, the animal may behave erratically or unpredictably, potentially running into roadways or creating other dangerous public safety situations putting both the animal and people at risk of injury or death.”

In 2023, there were five moose-vehicle accidents reported in the state, Healey said.

But even though moose sightings are not an everyday occurrence, DEEP estimates the population in Connecticut to be around 100. Most moose are located in the state’s rural northwest corner along the Massachusetts border. The state’s well maintained forests allow for plenty of fresh vegetation for moose to munch on.

The first sighting of a moose cow with calves in Connecticut was reported in 2000 in Hartland, according to DEEP. Between 2000 and 2007, at least 40 calves were born in the state.

Deer hunters reported 71 moose sightings in 32 towns in 2016 and 949 sightings over the past 20 years. During the 20-year period, moose sightings were reported in 86 different towns, DEEP officials said. Sightings were reported from nine to 43 different towns each year. Moose were observed in Barkhamsted, Canaan, Colebrook, Goshen, Granby, Hartland, Norfolk, Salisbury, Stafford, and Union over the last 10 years. Most of the towns where hunters report moose sightings occur along the Connecticut-massachusetts border.