Moose on the Loose in Manchester

Manchester police confirmed that a moose was spotted in the vicinity of Vernon Street in town this morning.

According to Cpt. Chris Davis of the Manchester Police Department, officials from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection were called to the scene and "herded" the moose back into the woods in that area of town. A moose was also spotted in Vernon this morning, and it appears to be the same moose. 

Dwayne Gardner, a spokesman for the DEEP, said the moose appeared to be a male about a year old - it did not have antlers, which a male moose sprouts around two years of age - and weigh about 500 pounds. 

Gardner said moose sightings are not uncommon in Connecticut, but typically tend not to occur in more suburban or urban areas like Manchester. 

"This moose appears to be young, probably about a year old, so we're not quite sure where it came from or where it's going, but we'll keep an eye out for it," Gardner said. 

Davis said he has "never heard" of a moose sighting in Manchester before. 

If you see a moose, Gardner said you should not worry because moose are not known to charge people, but that you should also not approach the animal. He said you should call the DEEP's 24-hour emergency line – 860-424-3333 – and also your local animal control department. 

Did you spot the moose in Manchester today? Did you snap any pictures of it? If so, you can share those on Manchester Patch by emailing them to Editor David Moran: david.moran@patch.com.