A young bull moose was spotted in Pocatello near Westwood Mall on Friday morning before Idaho Fish and Game removed it and released it back into an appropriate habitat.
Eric Johnson, who lives in the area, observed the moose walking down Moreland Avenue around 7:30 a.m. before he and his father jumped into a car to follow it. Johnson watched the moose meander its way east toward McKinley and Roosevelt avenues before losing sight of it around 8 a.m.
Jennifer Jackson, regional conservation education for Idaho Fish and Game, said Fish and Game officials arrived on the scene, darted the moose and removed it from the area. The moose was not harmed and was in physically healthy condition, Jackson said.
Jackson said she wasn’t sure what led to the moose wandering into town, but she did say she was told people were trying to move and corral the young animal.
“That is not a good idea,” Jackson said. “It can be dangerous for people. It can be dangerous for the animal. ... No matter what the critter is, if it’s located someplace, leave it be, give us a call and we’ll respond and take care of it from there.”
