Moose Spotted In West Hartford

WEST HARTFORD, CT — A moose was seen wandering around West Hartford on Wednesday morning, according to multiple reports.

The state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection advised motorists that the moose was seen within 3 miles of I-84 in West Hartford, according to the Hartford Courant.

WFSB 3 reports that a resident in the Peaslee Hill neighborhood reported seeing the moose. A moose sighting was also reported near St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, according to WFSB 3.

The first sighting of a moose cow with calves in Connecticut was reported in 2000 in Hartland, according to the state DEEP website. Over the past 20 years, moose sightings have been reported in 86 different towns. Most of the towns where hunters report moose sightings occur along the Connecticut-Massachusetts border, according to the DEEP.

“Moose can present a serious threat to public safety under some circumstances,” according to the DEEP website. “Although usually shy, moose can feel threatened and become aggressive during the rutting season or after calving. They also may demonstrate unpredictable behavior if they wander into populated areas. Under no circumstances should moose be approached. Although they may appear to be docile, moose should be given the healthy respect that New England’s largest land mammal warrants.

“Moose are also potentially dangerous when involved in automobile collisions. They are very large, long-legged, and difficult to see under low light conditions (moose are most active at dusk and at night). Data collected from other states indicate that a moose/car collision is 30 times more likely to result in a human death than a deer/car collision. On the average, 1 out of 50 moose/car collisions results in a human fatality.”

Officials say the DEEP’s primary concern regarding moose is “public safety” and that each moose observed in the state is monitored.

Read more at the DEEP website here.