The Ministry of Natural Resources is trying to track down a young moose on the loose in Orillia.
The moose was reported to be in the Fittons Road area, across the street from the Fittons West Plaza, on Monday before it took off and ended up in Mark Thompson’s backyard on Rosslyn Road, near the intersection with Martin Street.
Graeme Thomas saw the moose running along Rosslyn Road, being tailed by a man in a minivan who was filming it on his phone.
At about 11:30 a.m., it wandered into Thompson’s backyard and seemed “distressed,” he said. It remained there, in the shade of a tree, until about 2 p.m.
Shortly after the Ministry of Natural Resources and an OPP officer arrived, the moose took off and ran along Martin Street, last seen going into a backyard off Belmoral Drive.
A ministry representative is urging members of the public who see the moose to keep their distance. If there seems to be a threat to public safety, they should call OPP.
To report a sighting of the moose, call the ministry tip line at 1-877-847-7667.
Thompson said he had a deer visit his backyard last year, but this is the first time he’s seen a moose on his property.
“It’s a beautiful animal,” he said.
The ministry’s protocol when it comes to moose in Orillia is typically to tranquilize the animal and relocate it to a piece of Crown land north of the city.
More information will be posted when it becomes available.
