Moose on The Loose Near Lowville

DEC arrived near Lowville to assist with a moose on the loose.

Ryan Worden via NewzJunky says a moose ventured into his yard and the DEC was called to help it back into the wild.

The photos of the uninvited moose are fantastic. It looks fairly young to us, and we hope it made it back to its home safely.

According to the DEC, a moose is the largest member of the deer family and the largest land mammal in New York State. Bulls weigh from 600 to 1,200 pounds and stand up to 6 feet tall at the shoulder. Cows weigh from 500 to 800 pounds. Cows have light brown faces and a white patch of skin under their tails, while bulls have dark faces and no white patch. Only bulls grow antlers, beginning in March or April. The antlers, which regrow annually, may reach a width of more than 5 feet on mature bulls and are shed from November through January.

Moose are primarily browsers, feeding on the leaves, twigs, and buds of hardwood and softwood trees and shrubs. An adult moose eats 40 to 60 pounds of browse every day.  In the summer, moose feed heavily on aquatic plants in ponds and wetlands, wading into the water and reaching beneath the surface for plants. They also depend on these wet areas to escape from biting insects and hot weather.

The DEC seeks information from the public regarding moose sightings to provide data for their study. If you have seen a moose you're asked to complete and submit a moose sighting report.

Want to see photos of moose sightings in New York? I've attached a photo gallery below.

[H/T NewzJunky]