Loose moose in central part of town sparks official search

Crews with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry are on day two of their search for a young moose in the central area of town.

In an email to SooToday, ministry spokesperson Sarah Fig said they received several calls from locals about a moose that was observed in the White Oak Drive area yesterday.

Residents have been captivated by the moose's presence in recent weeks, as seen in these rare photos sent to SooToday earlier this month.

Local staff members with the ministry arrived to the White Oak Drive neighbourhood around 9:45 a.m. yesterday. They remain in the area this afternoon, said Fig.

"The primary focus of the ministry is on public safety, leading the Sault Ste. Marie work centre staff to take action," she wrote. "Their goal is to relocate the moose from the residential area, allowing it to safely return to the forest."

According to Sault Police spokesperson Lincoln Louttit, officers arrived to the area just before 10:30 a.m. yesterday to support ministry personnel.

Police conducted traffic control on several streets in the neighbourhood to ensure the safety of motorists as well as the moose, said Louttit. 

Ministry staff had apparently located the moose, but it ended up leaving the area uninjured. 

"The ministry is proactively addressing the situation, with public safety as their foremost concern," Fig wrote.

Although it doesn't happen very often, moose are known to venture into town.

The ministry says they are continuing their search efforts as the situation remains active.

The public is encouraged to "steer clear of the area to facilitate the ministry's efforts in relocating the moose back to the forest," the ministry said. 

For more information on how to prevent conflicts with moose, readers can click here.