A young bull moose found a new place to call home in Colorado after spending days wandering through a mountain town neighborhood.

According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), the young bull was first seen Monday near the Colorado Trail along Junction Creek, just west of Durango. It was spotted again on Tuesday by residents in the Crestview neighborhood.

CPW stepped in to help after another resident called in a third sighting of the moose roaming in a downtown residential area referred to as “The Grid.”

Wildlife officers safely tranquilized the young bull and relocated it on Wednesday to thriving moose habitat in the San Juan National Forest.

“Young bulls are known to wander off from their more normal habitats this time of year in search of mates and their own territory,” said CPW assistant area wildlife manager Steve McClung. “They can cover a lot of ground pretty quickly. Usually if they come to town, they will move along and work their way safely out of town. This one being in the middle of town with no clear path to move out on its own, and the risk of aggressive behavior toward pedestrians, especially those with dogs, it needed to be safely relocated.”

Moose sightings are common in the late summer to early fall months, especially with young bulls traveling south to seek out new territories.

Multiple dangerous encounters have occurred involving moose in Colorado in recent weeks, including one case in which a 79-year-old woman was attacked and hospitalized.

“It is always best to be aware when around moose or in their habitat,” McClung added “Keep dogs on leashes and keep your distance. If you want to get a picture, use a long lens and your zoom.”

For more tips on living in moose country, please visit cpw.state.co.us/moose-country.

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