POCATELLO — A moose paid a visit to some Pocatello homeowners on Tuesday morning.
According to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, a young cow moose was reported to be running loose near the intersection of Alameda Road and Monte Vista Drive in the east part of town at approximately 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
When Fish and Game officials arrived on the scene, the moose was in a residential backyard, enjoying the shade of a tree.
By approximately 9:45 a.m., officials had successfully tranquilized the animal and removed it from the area. Fish and Game said the moose was then transported to an isolated location near Soda Springs and let back into the wild.
No injuries or property damages were reported.
Fish and Game said there are two times a year when conservation officers respond to an increase in the number of calls involving moose wandering into urban areas.
The first time is during the spring, when pregnant cows begin to push away their yearlings. The second time is during the hot summer months of July and August, when the hills dry out and food and water became scarce. In response to the conditions, it is not uncommon for moose to wander into towns and cities looking for food, water and shade from the sun.
“This time of year we see a lot of moose on green lawns and under sprinklers,” said Merritt Horsmon, regional wildlife biologist with Idaho Fish and Game.
There have been multiple cases of moose wandering into Pocatello this year.
On Easter, a young bull moose caused a bit of a stir as it wandered around Old Town. The moose was spotted at Pocatello High School, near residences on West Halliday Street and at Centennial and Rainey parks. Eventually, the moose returned to its natural habitat on its own.
Two months earlier, numerous residents saw a moose wandering around the Casa Del Rio apartments on West Lewis Street before heading back into the wild.
