The MNR has captured a moose that was roaming a neighbourhood in the north end of Orillia over the past two days.
Llyod Readman woke up to people all around his house on Thursday morning – including the police – watching a moose in his yard.
“It’s good to see wildlife – but not in your backyard.”
Readman didn’t see the moose at first and wondered what everyone was looking at.
“I say city guys taking pictures over the fence and I thought what the heck are they going to tear up now and there it was…a moose.”
A female moose to be exact.
“It appears it is last year’s yearling – about 500 to 600 pounds. Typically they’re out foraging summer feed and it came in during the dark of night,” says Mike Foley with the Ministry of Natural Resources.
The moose didn’t seem to mind the attention.
“The moose hasn’t moved from under the tree, she’s quite calm, looking around,” says Orillia resident Liise Brooger.
Students at Patrick Fogarty School were in a "hold and secure" for close to an hour while the moose was in the area. Students were kept in class and not allowed out for recess.
“I’ve only every seen a moose in a zoo before and that’s a lot bigger than any moose I’ve ever seen,” says one student.
Police and MNR officials took every precaution – sealing off the area to prevent any big problems before tranquilizing the moose.
“Until the point in time when the moose goes to the ground and goes to sleep – anything is possible. It could run, fall, charge – anything is possible,” added Foley.
After the moose was tranquilized it was safely relocated to a natural area in Severn Township. The MNR says that it was standing up and moving around shortly after being released.
“It will be tagged so we can track it in the event we get future occurrences with the moose,” says Foley.
This is not the first time moose have visited the city, OPP say there is a moose sighting usually once a year.
