An Okanagan conservation officer said a moose that died in the backyard of a Kelowna, B.C., property suffered an impaled sternum.
The dead animal, in a Rutland Road South yard, was reported to the Conservation Officers Service on Friday.
Conservation officer Ken Owens said he can’t definitively say how the yearling bull moose sustained the injury.
However, he suspects it was caused by one of a number of wrought iron fences in the neighbourhood.
Owens said the fences, with decorative spears on top, are not wildlife-friendly and pose a serious risk to moose and deer.
“I suspect that … what has occurred is this moose basically went to hop over this wrought iron fence and it got impaled by it,” Owens said.
While it appears the moose was able to get itself free, Owens said: “it didn’t make it far and it died.”
“It’s just a tragic sad event,” the conservation officer said.
WATCH ABOVE: Warning: This story contains graphic images of injured wildlife. A Kelowna resident was shocked last week when he came home to find a dead moose in his back yard. The animal is believed to have been impaled by a fence before it died.
Owens is hoping to use the incident to educate the public about moose behavior and what residents can do to keep the animals safe.
He would like to see a bylaw in Kelowna that prohibits this type of metal fencing with spears on top and is hoping property owners will consider retrofitting existing fences so they don’t harm wildlife.
Owens said there are a handful of moose living in the Kelowna area as there is good habitat nearby and the public should give moose space if they see the animals in the city.
He said if a moose is in your fenced yard, you should go and open the gate and allow the moose an opportunity to leave on its own.
Owens said, in this case, people in the neighbourhood reported that both people and dogs had been chasing the moose.
“When moose are given the space they deserve they can make good sound decisions even in the city,” Owens said.
“But when they are pushed and stressed then they are forced to do things that maybe they wouldn’t normally do.”
Owens hopes the public will be mindful that when the animals venture into the city they may be tired and hungry and in a particularly vulnerable state.
He said when snow is deeper at higher elevations the animals often seek refuge in the valley bottom.
What’s more, Owens explained, this time of year can be stressful for moose as their winter diet is not as nutritious as what is naturally available in the summer and the animals are using their fat reserves.
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