The sighting of wildlife in Estevan isn't all that uncommon. But the sight of a moose running through a residential area and then crossing one of the city's busiest streets? That is not exactly something you see every day.
Local conservation and law enforcement officers were led on a bit of a chase Jan. 15 when two moose, a cow and calf, were spotted on the city's east side in the Trojan subdivision. Although those involved were able to direct the cow out of the city with no incident, the startled calf went on quite an adventure.
Conservation officer Ryan Krienke said his office was first alerted to the moose the morning of Jan. 15 and found them in the Shirley Creek drainage pond next to Kensington Avenue.
Krienke said when faced with a situation such as this one, the priority is to ensure the safety of the public but they also take measures to protect the safety of the animal.
"There is a delicate balance there because we do have wildlife in our city all of the time. They don't pose issues or problems. Often we can live with them if they don't bother us and we leave them alone," Krienke said. "That is what we were struggling with Tuesday morning; do we just let them be or do we try to herd them to the east to get them out because they were so close to the edge of the city."
Krienke said they watched the moose bed down in the drainage pond but they began to migrate west leading to concerns they might go into the city.
Those concerns were well founded as the cow took off towards the train tracks and then moved west into the fairgrounds. After running around in that area for a while it eventually made its way down Smith Street and through Yardley Place and Hastings Place. It then ran into the Murray GM lot and crossed 13th Avenue before heading into the valley behind 14th Avenue.
Krienke said when the public comes across wildlife, the best thing they can do is let them be, especially when it comes to something as large as a moose.
"That was our biggest concern is having them in the city and then people start to bother them and crowds start to gather," he said. "We've had deer in the city and as long as they are left alone, they just tend to find their way out."
The calf returned to the Shirley Creek area again on Thursday but stayed in the drainage pond without incident.
