Woman Attacked, Severely Injured By Cow Moose Believed To Be Protecting Calves Near Glenwood Springs
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. (CBS4)- A woman was attacked by a moose and severely injured in a rural area outside a home south of Glenwood Springs. The cow moose attacked the woman last Friday night.
The 79-year-old woman was rushed to a local hospital and then transported to helicopter to another hospital on the Front Range later that same night.
The woman was dog sitting for one of the tenants living at the home. She had seen a cow moose and its two calves in the yard earlier in the day. When the woman no longer saw the moose later that evening, she believed it was safe to be outside. That's when she took the dog out on a leash in the yard and she was attacked.
Another resident of the home saw the moose stomping on the victim.
"The incident occurred in an area of quality moose habitat and it is known that the moose frequent this area year-round," said Area Wildlife Manager Matt Yamashita in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the woman. This incident was no fault of her own. Conflicts with moose can happen, even when you follow best practices for living in moose habitat."
Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the cow and its two calves have reportedly been in the area for an extended period of time without incident and no previous aggressive behavior was reported. Wildlife officers searched the area for the cow and its calves on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. They were using photos and videos of the moose from residents taken the day of the attack to try to identify physical characteristics or traits that could be used to differentiate the correct animal involved.
Residents have said that there are multiple sets of cows with calves in the area, making it challenging to locate the animal involved in the attack. The search for the moose involved has been discontinued unless officers get new information.
"This likely was an incident of a cow protecting her calves," Yamashita said in a statement. "Since Friday night we have been talking with the local residents to educate them about living in moose habitat, the potential dangers associated with interacting with moose and actions they can take to minimize the risk of conflict."
Additional Information from Colorado Parks and Wildlife:
On Saturday, Aug. 7, a man walking along a willow bottom heading towards a lake in Clear Creek County was charged by a bull moose he just happened to come across. The viral video shows just how quickly a moose can decide to charge on a person. That man came away uninjured as he dived behind a tree, which the bull moose hit.
On May 29 in Steamboat Springs, a gentleman was knocked over on his back and stomped by a cow moose with two calves. The victim stated that his small dog was outside unleashed when he heard it start barking and realized there was a moose in the area. He stepped forward to grab the dog and that is when the moose charged at him. That man was examined for minor injuries on site.
Fifteen years ago on March 26, 2006, a man from Grand Lake was attacked and critically injured by a bull moose as he walked to church. That man later died from his injuries on April 6.
