Bull moose tramples woman trying to shoo it from her yard, Colorado officials say
A Colorado woman who tried to shoo a young bull moose from her yard Saturday evening had to be rushed to a hospital after the moose trampled her, KCNC reports.
The Breckenridge woman in her 50s thought the moose was preventing people from getting out of their vehicle and tried to move it along about 6 p.m., The Denver Post reported.
“She ended up getting too close and was attacked,” said Randy Hampton, spokesman for the northwest region of Colorado Parks and Wildlife, according to the publication.
The woman suffered broken bones, KCNC reported. Wildlife officers euthanized the moose in accordance with the agency’s regulations.
“Anytime we have a situation where an animal shows aggression and injures a person, the policy is that animal is put down,” Hampton said, The Denver Post reported. “When they become aggressive toward people, most of the research shows it is likely to happen again.”
On Tuesday, a man in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, reported being knocked down by a moose while walking at night, The Steamboat Pilot reported. He screamed, frightening off the moose.
“Other than being sore and having moose hoof marks on my jacket, I am unscathed,” said Leon Steinberg, according to the publication.
Earlier in March, a woman in Breckenridge received a citation after a video showed her trying to pet a moose, which tried to kick her, CNN reported.
“Each year, more people are attacked by moose than by any other species of wildlife,” District Wildlife Manager Elissa Slezak says in a video on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website.
Wildlife officials advise that moose don’t have much fear of people, but bulls can be aggressive and territorial at times, according to the site. It’s best to stay away from them.
“You want to make noise, bang some pots and pans, stay on your porch, and just don’t give it a reason,” Hampton said, The Denver Post reported. “The best way to get a moose to leave is to give it enough space that it leaves on its own.”