Baby moose has to be relocated after people fed it too often in Colorado

People wouldn’t stop feeding and petting a baby moose in a Colorado town.

Wildlife officials received two reports of moose sightings in Grand Lake on Friday, March 11, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported. When they arrived to monitor the moose, they saw “concerning and dangerous behavior.”

“Moose are common in Grand Lake throughout the year,” District Wildlife Manager Serena Rocksund said in a March 14 news release. “On Friday, we witnessed people getting dangerously close to the moose and evidence of illegal feeding.”

The abandoned calf was being fed and petted by people. It was happening so often, the moose became too comfortable around people.

Wildlife officials decided to relocate the calf to a remote location.

“We cannot stress this enough,” officials said. “Moose, especially calves, are not pets. The best and the only way to view them is from a safe distance.”

People should give a moose space if they encounter the animal. It is illegal and dangerous to move a moose.

Feeding wildlife is also illegal. It can be harmful to the animal’s health because wildlife often cannot handle human food.

“When people intentionally place or distribute food that does not naturally occur in the animals’ habitat, such as carrots, birdseed, hay, or salt blocks, it can lead to illness or death,” officials said.

This story was originally published March 15, 2022 at 11:51 AM with the headline "Baby moose has to be relocated after people fed it too often in Colorado."