Moose on the loose in Idaho Falls!
Published at | Updated at
IDAHO FALLS — Two moose made themselves at home in an Idaho Falls neighborhood Saturday morning.
They roamed through the streets, walked through some yards and even enjoyed a delicious breakfast.
“They’re in our backyard eating apples off our trees,” Idaho Falls resident Tony Lima said. Lima told EastIdahoNews.com he spotted the pair of moose around 7:30 a.m. near Sunnyside Road and Holmes Ave.
This is the latest of several moose sightings in Idaho Falls and Ammon this week.
Kathy Andary spotted one on 15th Street Thursday afternoon. She snapped a picture as it crossed the road.
Reader Leilani Bingham reported a moose in McCowin Park on Tuesday.
Animal control officers in Idaho Falls report a moose was captured in Ammon and relocated on Tuesday by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. They had no information about the sightings on Thursday or Saturday.
Fish and Game spokesman Gregg Losinski tells EastIdahoNews.com officers have chased half a dozen moose recently, but have only been able to dart and relocate the one in Ammon. The moose have been mainly seen in the eastern and southern part of town.
Losinski said increased moose sightings happen every so often. One year in the 1990s, Losinski said Fish and Game had to relocate 114 moose in the region.
He warns that if a moose appears to settle in a yard the public should notify local law enforcement and not chase the moose themselves.
“Moose look harmless, but they are very powerful and can jump high fences and kick humans who try to confine them,” Losinski said.
What to do if you see a moose?
If you see a moose, Phil Cooper of Idaho Fish and Game says don’t get too close as your presence could agitate it.
Cooper, writing for the Teton Valley News, said that the moose will likely leave shortly after giving you a free tree pruning:
“Although moose can live in any weather conditions found in Idaho, it is not at all unusual for a moose to wander into a town or residential area. Ornamental trees and shrubs are tasty treats to a moose, just as ice cream is to a person. When a person heads to an ice cream shop, it isn’t because there is no food whatsoever at home. People go to the ice cream shop because a cone tastes good. When a moose wanders into town, it doesn’t mean that there is no food out in the wild. They wander into town because there is tasty food there that is easy to access. Unlike deer and elk, moose are not particularly wary of people.”
Cooper says Fish and Game prefers to give a moose a few days to leave on its own and in most cases, that is what happens.
If you see a moose in your neighborhood, let us know! Send a picture to news@eastidahonews.com and we may include it in a story.
RELATED:
Moose in my yard (my neighborhood) — What do I do? Courtesy Teton Valley News