DNR biologist says the calves have less chance to survive without mother.
Read more: Local, Community, Ishpeming, Moose, Upper Peninsula, Death, Euthanized
ISHPEMING -- The public is to blame for the death of a cow moose in Ishpeming. That's what Ishpeming Police Chief Jim Bjorne is saying.
An officer for the Department of Natural Resources, on Bjorne's orders, shot the moose late Monday afternoon.
It all started around 8:30 Monday morning when the moose was spotted around 600 Vine Street in the City of Ishpeming.
Watch TV6 video that was taken around 10 a.m.
Bjorne says the public's interference, in their efforts to see the moose and get pictures, prevented the police and DNR biologists from getting the cow moose and her two calves to a safe area. He says after more than five hours of being herded around and trying to avoid people, the cow was overly stressed.
Bjorne says tranquilizing the animal would have caused more stress and probably would have resulted in the animal's death, anyway.
The decision to put down the mother moose was made after she was approaching officers on the Heritage Trail by the old Brownstone.
The moose calves have left the area, and a DNR biologist says without a mother, their chances of surviving have been lessened, but they likely had already been weaned off of their mother.
The shooting of the cow moose has outraged many residents in the Upper Peninsula, who look upon the moose with awe and affection. Hundreds have posted comments on the TV6 Web site in the last 24 hours objecting to the shooting.
Check back often to TV6, Upper Michigan's Source, for the very latest.
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