Tula residents were explained what to do when meeting a wild moose
Throughout the week, residents of Tula have been reporting the appearance of moose – animals run across roads, break into the fences of residential complexes, and gallop through courtyards. How unusual the “elk boom” is for the Tula region, and what residents should do when meeting an animal, was told to the Tula Press by the head of the region’s Department of Hunting, Andrei Moment.
According to him, the movement of animals in the spring is normal. In winter, moose activity decreases; they find habitats that are most suitable for the supply of tree and branch food. In these places (“winter roads,” as they are sometimes called), the elk concentrate and feed all winter, moving minimally so as not to waste energy.
“Spring comes first to open areas, where the soil warms up faster and the buds swell. Moose know this very well and move from winter roads to the edges of the forest. We see this kind of migration every year. Inspectors on duty often see moose in warm weather in just such a habitat – in open field areas (Teplo-Ogarevsky, Volovsky, Bogoroditsky districts), although this is not typical for moose.
Naturally, during the growing season of plants (the period of growth and development – editor’s note), it is possible for animals to enter the road and enter the residential sector – this is seasonal migration. It lasts literally two to three weeks. The period of displacement of all age groups of moose will end by mid-May. This is a seasonal phenomenon, typical for the entire country, and not just for the Tula region,” the specialist explained.
What to do if a moose enters a residential area:
- call 112 so that the Rescue Service forwards the request to the Department of Hunting of the Tula Region;
- do not approach the animal.
“In the world of development of information technology and the popularity of social networks and instant messengers, any appearance of an animal is perceived as some kind of supernatural phenomenon, an emergency. But this is a natural process, and it has always been this way – people just didn’t know about it. Several years ago we caught moose both near the Museum of Weapons on Oktyabrskaya and at the playground in the center of the Proletarsky district. The animal usually walks along the river through the bushes, but given the development, it increasingly runs into residential areas.
Most of its movements occur at night, and if left alone, it will try to leave the next night. But if you provoke him, scare him, or come closer in an attempt to take a better video, you may encounter negative manifestations, including aggression. There is no need to take pictures of animals or get close to them. The right decision is to leave the moose alone,” concluded Andrey Moment.
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