SPRINGVILLE, Utah — Our ongoing drought, plus low snow pack this winter, may be driving certain animals much closer to those living in the foothills along the Wasatch Front.
That’s according to officials with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources who had to deal with that exact scenario down in Springville.
So what do you do when you wake up on a weekend morning and find a moose taking a snooze in your backyard? That’s something Greg and Laura Thorpe had to figure out Sunday.
After being alerted by neighbors, Laura Thorpe said she wound up being the first to come face-to-face with the backyard Bullwinkle.
“So then I just kind of peaked out my little bedroom window and saw him just sitting right there. Just sitting, happy and content as could be," she said.
Laura quickly called her husband Greg, who was heading home from church.
He said it was something he hadn’t experienced before.
“It was a crazy day, but kind of fun to see, not something that happens all the time," Greg said.
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The Thorpes eventually got in contact with the DWR.
Michael Packer works in the Central Region Office of DWR, which is just a few miles away in Springville. He said he was glad to help.
“Yeah, kind of an oddity to wake up to for a Sunday morning," Packer said.
It wound up being an hour-long effort to first try to get the young bull moose safely sedated, then give him a quick check-up, and finally, to transport him out of the area.
Working with local police and neighbors, Michael Packer said it was a coordinated team effort.
“Took about eight of us to be able to load that guy up into a horse trailer," he said.
Greg Thorpe said he looked on in amazement.
“Man, I was so impressed with the professionals that handled it," he said. "It was done really well. They cared for that animal, and yeah, it worked out really good.”
The Thorpes have been living in their Springville home for 25 years and said they never had a moose wander into their yard.
But due to the drought and a really dry winter, Packer said there may be more encounters like this, in particular for folks living near the foothills all along the Wasatch Front.
“We might see a little bit more or different movements, really, because these animals are just trying to move to those areas where they can find food, water, and shelter," Packer said.
Greg Thorpe said he’s happy the moose wound up being healthy and able to be safely transported and set free, farther away from Springville.
“We feel bad for the animals. I mean, it’s going to be a rough year on them and with the drought, so it’s kind of nice he felt safe here, and we’re just glad everything turned out great!” he said.
