Despite swirling rumours, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) will not be putting down an overly-friendly yearling cow moose who has been making her way around various neighbourhoods in the Huntsville area.

Over the past few weeks, the Forester has received numerous phone calls from members of the community indicating that a lone cow moose had been spotted on Ravenscliffe Road, and has since made its way to living on different properties on Fowlers Road. Reports surfaced about the moose appearing to be quite docile; sleeping while standing in a bush on Ravenscliffe Road and even poking her head into vehicles as people stopped to see the mighty creature. It has also been reported that people are petting her and scratching her behind the ears.

MNR conservation officer Gary Higgins indicated that he has attended local properties to observe the yearling cow and has received statements from individuals who have seen the moose.

“We (the MNR) received notification about the moose from the Huntsville OPP at the end of March,” he stated, noting that the OPP also provided photographs of the moose as well. “I was out and observed the moose on Monday, April 28 on Skyhills Road, which is just off Ravenscliffe.”

Higgins stated that while the yearling cow is not displaying typical behaviour, the MNR is ruling out that the moose has been infected with meningeal worm, better known as brain worm, a parasite that commonly affects white-tailed deer.

“It certainly isn’t what we would consider to be normal behaviour,” he said of the moose sticking her head into people’s vehicles, letting people pet her and scratch behind her ears. “When I observed the moose, there were no physical signs of distress or injuries. Unless (the moose) was in the advance stages of brain worm and displaying obvious signs it’s difficult to be conclusive. The early stages of brain worm have degenerative signs and symptoms, so it’s difficult to assess exactly what could be wrong. As far as the physical condition of the moose, the coat was in good shape, there was no severe hair loss and it didn’t look emaciated. I watched and what it was eating was coming out the other end.”

Higgins went on to say that as of that time the MNR was not considering putting the moose down; however, he noted if the moose becomes a threat to public safety then three scenarios will be considered: put the moose down, leave it alone or tranquilize and relocate it.

“That’s what could happen,” he said. “As far as people go, it’s a difficult situation. Like all wildlife and human activity, we always certainly try to let people know that these interactions could lead to the animal having to be destroyed due to public safety. It’s like the saying, ‘A fed bear is dead bear.’ We don’t want an adult moose out there thinking someone is going to scratch it behind the ears. It’s not a domesticated animal. People shouldn’t have the expectations that that’s how they’re going treat it and interact with it. It’s possible (that people are petting her and scratching behind her ears,) but I didn’t see it. Just hearing that is a bit concerning. We’re talking about a wild animal between 600 and 650 pounds. We’re talking about an animal who has the chance to defend itself against wolves and bears. It can break backs and crush skulls.”

Higgins indicated that he can’t make any conclusive reasoning as to why this cow moose seems to be responding to human behaviour.

“We don’t really have an explanation,” he said. “It first showed up early January and if it was born in May or June, it’s between six to eight months old. It’s certainly displaying mannerisms and behaviour not typical of a wild moose. Why it became that way, we don’t really know.”

Skyhills Road resident Laurie Damiani, who owns Ware Farms along with her husband, Owen Ware, first noticed the moose living among the horses and cattle after a rainstorm in early January. The moose, which the family named Annabell during her 10-week stay on the farm, showed signs of aggression and chased Damiani, her husband and their daughter while on the property.

“I hear people are trying to pet her and feed her and someone is going to get hurt quite seriously,” said Damiani. “She was very aggressive at times. She would pin her ears back and physically chase you. She even chased a taxi driver back into his van. Our dogs run on the farm, and Annabell tried to stomp on one of them. My daughter had a friend over to look at her horses and when they went to leave the pasture, the moose was standing between them and the snowmobile. I had to drive towards her on the tractor to scare her away. But it got to point where noises didn’t affect her.”

Damiani indicated that she has seen many moose in her lifetime and has never observed one displaying behaviour similar to Annabell.

Last Tuesday evening, Damiani stated that Higgins did visit the farm in response to reports that were surfacing about the friendly moose.

“Basically he had been sent to investigate why she had been hanging around and where she had been,” said Damiani, adding that Annabell had left the farm and made her way to Fowlers Road at the time of his visit. “He was talking to whomever had contact with her to try and figure out what to do about her because she’s not afraid of people.”

Linda Rosbottom, who resides on Ravenscliffe Road, stated that she first saw the moose standing on the side of the road about a month ago.  

“I called the Ministry of Natural Resources about three or four weeks ago because I was concerned,” said Rosbottom. “I spoke to a conservation officer who said he had seen pictures of it himself. He said from what he could tell, the moose seemed fine. He said he couldn’t see that the moose was losing hair or had any broken bones and he told me if it was sick with the brain worm, to let nature take its course.”

Rosbottom stated that on one particular day, she was driving behind a vehicle that had stopped on Ravenscliffe Road to get a good view of the moose when all of a sudden she saw it stick its head into the vehicle’s window.

Fowlers Road resident Vivian Fleetham indicated that the moose stayed at her house for a full week until she departed last Wednesday. Fleetham said that her property is in a shaded location and the moose slept on a snowbank in her driveway.

“I think someone has tamed her because she’s letting people walk right up to her,” said Fleetham, adding that she, too, thought the young moose was sick considering that generally moose are afraid of human contact. “I didn’t pet her. That’s stupidity to me. But I saw people even petting her face and rubbing her ears.”