Officials at YYC Calgary International Airport have something wild to watch out for this week — a mother moose and her calf who’ve settled in near the runways.
“In areas like this, it’s not a place you’d find moose,” the airport authority’s Gary Kindrat said. “They’re more a wetland creature, so it’s unusual that we’d have them here.”
Officials say the airport’s three-meter tall fence will keep the moose from wandering onto the runways, but they are concerned they could pose a danger to people watching them.
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“We are keeping a very close eye on (the moose), so we’re watching their movements,” Kindrat said.
“That’s more for making sure people aren’t approaching them. A mammal as large as a moose, with a calf — moms can be very defensive so I would give them a wide berth.”
Airport officials regularly take steps to prevent wildlife from moving into the runways area.
“We’re always looking for vegetation that we don’t want, so we’re not creating attractants for the wildlife,” Kindrat said.
He also pointed to another concern about people approaching the moose: “They get upset and they get fidgety and they bolt onto a road.”
He’s hoping it won’t be too long before the mother and her calf move on.
“They found their way here by themselves, they’ll find their way away from here by themselves.”
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