Moose entangled in Christmas lights spotted in Anchorage neighborhood

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - A moose with Christmas lights wrapped around its neck was spotted in a neighborhood near Kincaid Park on Tuesday, raising concern for one Anchorage resident.

“He had Christmas lights just wrapped entirely around tightly around his neck,” Leigh Boone, an Anchorage resident who reported the moose, said.

Boone told Alaska’s News Source she reached out to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) right away seeking help after noticing the moose was in distress.

Seeing moose struggling with entanglement is not an uncommon sight, according to ADF&G. Each year, the department said it receives between 10 to 20 calls regarding a moose struggling with entanglement.

“Especially with bulls in the rut,” Corey Stantorf, with ADF&G said. “That Fall time, late September, where they are looking to fight other moose. They end up fighting dip nets, tire swings, zip lines and get themselves tied up.”

However, sights like Boone saw on Tuesday are rare, ADF&G said. That rare sight, similar to other entanglement, the department said can be fatal.

“Especially if nobody is home when it happens,” Stantorf said. “Moose will struggle and struggle until they expire from heat exhaustion.”

Luckily for the Moose entangled in string lights, Boone was home. She tells Alaska’s News Source that she was able to call ADF&G, who gave her guidance over the phone.

“The first thing they did was tell me, you know, stay safe and I always do,” Boone said. “I stayed in my car and stayed on the phone with them and they wanted me to describe, you know, what had happened and what I saw.”

Boone noted that before the department was able to arrive, the moose freed himself from the Christmas lights. Stantorf said calling them was the right thing to do.

“That’s something we always want to hear about,” Stantorf said. “That way we can assess what’s going on, how bad the moose is entangled, is there a chance it is going to fall off on its own and if there is not, we can respond to that situation sooner rather than later to minimize stress on that animal.”

ADF&G said if you see an animal in need of assistance, contact your local ADF&G office.

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