A cow moose was shot dead by a wildlife officer last week in St. Albert and the incident has led to controversy.
Many citizens are upset, even angry, at the killing of the moose. There were numerous calls of complaint to the Gazette after the incident. City Councillor Bob Russell has called for the suspension of the wildlife officer and an investigation.
A review of the incident could be instructive to prevent future wildlife conflicts, but calling for the suspension of the officer before an investigation is not justified.
After hearing from many members of the public, city council decided Monday to send a letter to Alberta Environment and Parks requesting a review of the incident. That is a prudent course of action, and hopefully one that will yield lessons so that we can better manage wildlife. Could the moose not have been tranquilized instead of shot? Would it have been feasible to close roadways to allow the moose and her two calves safe passage through the city? These questions and others will undoubtedly be explored during a review.
Fish and wildlife officials attempted to get the ungulated trio to move along by shooting bean bag guns and rubber bullets.
Officials say a wildlife officer shot the cow moose after it charged at him. Some witnesses dispute the official version of events, and say the officer provoked the moose into charging.
A group of onlookers, at times numbering several dozen, watched the saga unfold over two hours on the south side of the Sturgeon River near St. Albert Trail. Some people were critical that the animals were not moved earlier, not tranquilized, or not just left alone to wander off.
Brendan Cox, a public affairs officer for Alberta Justice and Solicitor General, said rubber bullets and bean-bag guns are usually successful in moving wildlife out of an area and shooting a wild animal is a last resort. Cox noted that a cow moose “can be quick to protect their young if members of the public get too close.”
Moose are large creatures. The average cow moose is 770 pounds and stands more than six feet tall at the shoulder. While they look quite docile, moose can be unpredictable, particularly if they feel they or their young are threatened. They can run 45 km/h and can use their weight to knock you to the ground and trample you.
We live in a wildlife corridor, where wild animals will venture into town from time to time. We need to manage those conflicts the best we can.
The death of an animal is unsettling for everyone. No doubt it was upsetting for the officer who shot the moose. Without an investigation, there isn’t any basis to suspend the officer. What if the officer had not acted and the animal had injured him or other people?
No one wants wild animals shot. We must learn what we can from this incident to apply better wildlife management techniques to prevent wildlife/human conflicts. In the rare instances when something goes wrong we also have to allow officers to use their judgment and do what they believe is necessary to protect themselves and the public from harm.
