Some Quebec City residents spotted a rare sight Wednesday as a young moose was seen wandering the streets in the city’s west end.
Quebec City police spokesperson Marie-Pier Rivard said a resident called around 5 a.m. to report the animal was walking near Parc du Bois-de-Coulonge.
Rivard said the moose was last seen around 6 a.m. entering a wooded area near the Universite Laval campus, a few kilometres from where it was first spotted.
Such sightings are rare in Quebec City, and it was unclear where the moose came from.
“The Bois-de-Coulonge sector is a park,” Rivard said in an interview. “It’s possible that he was staying there, but it remains quite an urban setting for such animal. Even in the woods by the university, it’s not the best place.”
Later in the day, police weren’t actively searching for the animal, but residents were asked to remain vigilant.
“We mostly wanted to raise awareness because (the moose) might circulate in urban settings and it’s uncommon to see that in our streets,” said Rivard. “People need to stay alert to have time to react.”
Quebec’s Wildlife Department said staff were monitoring the situation.
“Our officers are ready to intervene if the animal reappears,” the department said in an emailed statement.