Keep An Eye Out: Moose Are On The Loose, CT Deep Says

Moose are on the loose in Connecticut and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is warning drivers that the animal won’t look both ways before crossing the street.

A moose was spotted in Suffield on Monday, April 8, the DEEP announced.
Photo Credit: *Connecticut DEEP*

Zak Failla

04/15/2019 3:30 p.m.

A moose was spotted walking along a wooded area near a roadway in Suffield on Monday, April 8, DEEP announced.

“Stay alert when driving in areas of the state where moose are observed on a regular basis,” the Connecticut Fish and Wildlife Division advised, citing more than 40 moose-related crashes in Connecticut between 1995 and 2017.

Data collected in other states where moose are more prevalent determined that a moose vs. car crash is 30 times more likely to result in a human death than a deer vs. car crash. On average, one out of 50 crashes involving moose results in a human fatality.

According to DEEP it is unclear if moose were ever native to Connecticut, but they’re now here to stay. The first official photograph of a moose in Connecticut was taken in September 1956, and the first moose-vehicle crash occurred in 1995. Between 2000 and 2007, no less than 40 calves were born in the Nutmeg State, while others may have migrated from Massachusetts.

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. 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 in six of the last 10 years.

DEEP noted that most of the towns where hunters report moose sightings occur along the Connecticut-Massachusetts border.

“DEEP’s primary concern regarding moose is public safety. Each moose observed in the state is monitored. The DEEP Wildlife Division and Environmental Conservation Police Division evaluate the potential threat presented by moose at a specific location in coordination with local health and safety officials. A recommendation (no action, hazing, immobilization, or euthanasia) is then made to the DEEP Commissioner, who will make a final decision on a course of action suitable for a particular moose situation.”

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