A moose that had been shot with a tranquilizer dart by a wildlife biologist in a hovering helicopter charged the aircraft, damaging the tail rotor, The Associated Press reported on Monday. “The moose would start to move, and then the helicopter would back off and try to keep the moose out in the open,” Doug Larsen, regional supervisor for the Division of Wildlife Conservation in Anchorage, Alaska, told the AP. The intent was to use the helicopter to keep the moose out from the water so that it wouldn’t drown when the tranquilizer kicked in. But instead of moving away from the helicopter, the moose suddenly charged. The pilot landed safely. The moose was badly hurt by the spinning rotor, and the biologist euthanized it. “It just had to be one of those quirky circumstances,” Larsen said. “Even dealing with bears and goats and moose and wolves, this is pretty unusual and truly a very unique situation.”
Moose Charges Helicopter
Key Takeaways:
- A tranquilized moose in Alaska unexpectedly charged a hovering wildlife helicopter, damaging its tail rotor.
- Biologists were using the helicopter to herd the moose away from water to prevent it from drowning once the tranquilizer took effect.
- The moose was severely injured by the spinning rotor and had to be euthanized, an incident described as highly unusual by wildlife officials.
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