JULY 2016 • NEBRASKAland 45
of social media and other technology,
including at least one Facebook page
devoted to tracking a moose's travels
in the state, word travels fast when
one of the big animals is observed. As
images from mobile devices spread
across the Internet, people begin
wanting to get a look and photo of
their own. Inevitably, harmless wildlife
watching turns into people invading
the animals' space, setting up the
potential for a dangerous encounter.
Considering countless reports of moose
attacking humans in other states, it's
the possibility for a bad ending that
puts public safety officials on edge.
The first moose to make headlines
last year was a young cow that had
taken up residence on an island at
Bridgeport State Recreation Area's
Center Lake and didn't want to leave
the park. Reports of people getting
close to the potentially dangerous
animal, including children throwing
rocks at it, prompted parks and wildlife
officials to impose a boating ban for
nearly a month beginning in May. The
ban was lifted in mid-June after the
moose was successfully evicted from
the scene by Commission staff after
numerous attempts.
The next high profile moose
encounter with the public occurred
within the city limits of North Platte
when the Commission and local law
enforcement successfully tranquilized
A moose, which is believed to be a young cow, crosses Center Lake at Bridgeport State Recreation Area.
Locations and order of sightings
suggest that moose are moving into
the state from the North Platte River
Valley at the Wyoming border and
heading eastward.
PHOTO
BY
JUSTIN
HAAG
