Moose Roaming Around Lowell Neighborhoods Tranquilized, Relocated
LOWELL (CBS) – A moose spotted roaming around Lowell was tranquilized and relocated by Massachusetts Environmental Police officers on Thursday.
An employee of Mount Pleasant Golf Club was setting up at the first hole around 7 a.m. when he saw the moose come out of the woods and run across the fairway.
Another resident snapped a photo of the moose near her home.
Around noon, the moose was spotted going for a swim in the Merrimack River.
Massachusetts Environmental Police responded and tranquilized the moose.
The moose was removed from the river to be relocated.
"We knew this was going to be a really challenging operation to try to push her somewhere where there was slightly shallower water, hopefully get a tranquilizer dart in her, but keep her head up so she didn't drown," said biologist Dave Wattles. "It was chaos there for a bit chasing her around, trying to push her where we wanted her to be. Once we got the dart in her, trying to keep her head up and move her closer to shore. But in reality everything worked as well as we could possibly hope for."
Wildlife experts believe the moose came from Lowell-Dracut State Forest. That is where she will be released. They also believe she is a baby, only three years old, though she is estimated to be 600 pounds.
