A moose yearling seen wandering in Boulder since Wednesday has been relocated to Larimer County.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife responded to a sighting of a moose at around 4:30 Wednesday after Boulder County Parks and Open Space park rangers notified wildlife officers that the moose was wandering into city limits.
Park rangers partnered with Colorado Parks and Wildlife to follow the moose, a one-year-old male, around Boulder as they tried to guide it west and away from people.
After roaming from Chautauqua Park into the city for a day, park rangers tranquilized and relocated the moose Thursday morning at the Millennium Harvest House Boulder hotel near Boulder Creek. They transported it to Larimer County, a forested region where moose are more common.
“Moose are still wildlife,” said CPW spokesperson Kara Van Hoose. “Even though this is a yearling, they’re still wild animals, and we try to keep them away from people.”
Boulder resident and wildlife photographer Michelle Theall saw the moose near Chautauqua Park on Wednesday afternoon. She ran out of her house barefoot with her camera and snapped a few shots as she stood in the mud.
“We don’t even see deer here anymore around Chautauqua; it’s gotten so overrun with people and cars that roar their engines,” Theall said. “It was a little sad and absolutely surprising to see this moose. I was very excited.”
Officials say that this moose serves as a reminder to the public that “baby season” often brings wildlife close to city limits. As the weather gets warmer, baby animals are more likely to be born, with a peak in April and May.
Baby animals can wander alone even though the mother may be nearby searching for food. Officials warn that the public should stay away from wildlife and call Colorado Parks and Wildlife or local law enforcement if the animals walk into city limits.
“I think people did the right thing in this case,” Van Hoose said. “They stayed clear, gave the moose a wide berth and didn’t try to rescue it, which is common this time of year where we see young wildlife where people think it’s abandoned.
“This was a happy ending,” Van Hoose said.
