(Facebook/ Lakeland and District Fire Department)

By Nigel Maxwell

Moose on the loose

Drivers escape moose collision with no injuries

Jul 8, 2019 | 5:00 PM

According to a spokesperson for Parkland Ambulance, two drivers involved in a weekend crash with a moose were not hurt.

The crash happened Saturday night, 16 km north of the Christopher Lake turnoff on Highway 2. Lyle Karasiuk, director of public affairs with Parkland Ambulance, told paNOW wildlife related collisions tend to be more common in the spring and fall, but added there had still been a noticeable increase of late.

“We are seeing larger wildlife [on the highways], so we are seeing more moose or bigger wildlife down further south than you would normally think that they would be,” he said.

Karasiuk encouraged drivers to keep a closer eye on the ditch, but acknowledged avoiding an animal such as a moose is easier said than done.

“They don’t move fast and you honk and they are not going to get out of the way,” he said.

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According to SGI, there have been 6,848 claims filed so far this year related to collisions involving wildlife. Of those claims 245 were because of moose and 4,885 were related to deer. This compares to 6,933 wildlife claims for the same period last year, and 7,077 in 2017.

Tyler McMurchy, a spokesperson for SGI, said the numbers don’t reflect the actual number of collisions involving wildlife, only what was filed or reported for those time periods.

“Keep in mind, you have up to two years to report a claim and get your vehicle fixed. Many people report a collision very soon after it occurs, but not everyone does,” he told paNOW.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell