A moose that was hit by a vehicle in Hartland Wednesday night has died. It was the second moose that died after being struck by a vehicle in the state in less than 14 hours and the third this month.
A moose was struck on South Road in Hartland around 8:30 p.m. and state troopers from Troop B in North Canaan, members of the East Hartland Fire Department and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection responded.
The male moose was around 550 pounds and estimated to be 1-to-2 years old, according to DEEP.
The East Hartland animal control officer identified the driver and state police said no people were injured in the crash and the damage did not disable the vehicle, so the driver was able to operate it.
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This was the second crash involving a moose that died in the state.
A moose died after being hit on the Wilbur Cross Parkway in North Haven around 7 a.m. Wednesday.
DEEP said the moose that was struck in North Haven was likely the same one that had recently been seen in several towns, including in Watertown and in Waterbury, near Interstate 84 and Route 8.
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On May 10, a female moose that weighed around 420 pounds was also killed, according to DEEP.
Drivers Urged to Use Caution to Avoid Hitting Moose
Those moose sightings prompted DEEP to issue a warning to drivers to be cautious.
Moose are most active at dusk and dawn and DEEP is urging people to look higher for moose than they normally would for deer and reduce the speed of their vehicles.
All crashes involving moose, deer or bears should be reported to local, state, or DEEP Environmental Conservation Police Officers. DEEP’s 24-hour Dispatch Center can be reached at 860-424-3333.
DEEP also warned that moose are usually wary of people, but can feel threatened and become aggressive.
They also may demonstrate unpredictable behavior if they wander into populated areas and you should not approach them.
If you see a moose in close proximity to a major roadway such as I-91, I-84, or I-95, report the sighting to DEEP Emergency Dispatch at 860-424-3333.
General moose sightings in other areas can be reported to DEEP’s online sighting report database.
Learn more about moose in Connecticut here.
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