Elderly woman seriously injured in western Colorado moose attack

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo. — A79-year-old woman was seriously injured Friday night after a moose stomped her in a Glenwood Springs, Colorado, yard while she walked a dog on a leash.

The woman, who has not been identified publicly, told Colorado Parks & Wildlife that she was dog-sitting at the residence and saw the mother moose and two calves in the front yard earlier in the day, the Post Independent reported.

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A resident of the home confirmed to the agency that the moose “stomped” the woman while she walked the dog at around 9 p.m., the newspaper reported.

Wildlife officials have not been able to locate the moose, The Denver Post reported.

CPW Area Wildlife Manager Matt Yamashita said in a prepared statement that the animal attack “was no fault of her own.”

“Conflicts with moose can happen even when you follow best practices for living in moose habitat,” Yamashita said.

The woman was taken to a local hospital, then transported to another facility by helicopter due to the extent of her injuries, the news release stated.

“This likely was an incident of a cow protecting her calves,” Yamashita said. “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.”

Agency officials estimate there are about 3,200 moose across Colorado, a population that increased after state-led reintroductions began in 1978 with 90 to boost hunting and tourism, The Denver Post reported.

According to the CPW, other recent moose incidents include:

• Aug. 7: A man walking near a Clear Creek County lake was charged by a bull moose. The man escaped injury by diving behind a tree, which the moose plowed into.
• May 29: A cow moose with two calves in Steamboat Springs knocked over a man and stomped him, causing minor injuries.

“This likely was an incident of a cow protecting her calves,” Yamashita said. “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.”

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