There was a moose on the loose in the Greater Danbury area yesterday.  A moose was spotted in Newtown, then running through the AMC parking lot in Danbury, and up in New Fairfield.  The day before, a moose was spotted by a Woodbury Resident State Trooper. 

(Photo: Woodbury Resident Trooper Office)

The current moose population in Connecticut is estimated at just over 100 animals.  Moose may stand over 6 feet tall at the shoulders and can weigh up to 1,400 pounds.  By 2007, the Wildlife Division was receiving about 60 sighting reports a year and had documented 19 moose-vehicle collisions. 

Although they may appear to be docile, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says moose should be given the healthy respect that New England’s largest land mammal warrants.  DEEP says moose can present a serious threat to public safety under some circumstances. Although usually shy, moose can demonstrate unpredictable behavior if they wander into populated areas.