A small island off Norway’s northern coastline of Helgeland has been all but overrun by moose, who now outnumber residents by two to one. Local newspaper Brønnøysunds Avis said that parents now fear for the safety of their small children.
Moose are generally shy animals, but they’re extremely large and can become aggressive if provoked. On the island of Ylvingen in Nordland county, residents say the moose have become so accustomed to both people and other domesticated animals that they no longer run into the woods when encounters occur.
And that’s now become frequent, prompting parents to worry that the mighty moose can easily trample children, dogs or themselves. “We don’t dare let our kids out of our site,” Bjørnar Ebbesen told Brønnøysunds Avis. “And lots of folks don’t dare out for a walk because there’s so many moose. The moose are no longer afraid of anyone.”
Ebbesen thinks a hunting quota of 15 moose during the current hunting season is much too low and Mayor Andre Møller agrees. “There shouldn’t be more than 15 moose on this island,” he said, unhappy with the estimated 70 now roaming around. Any extra hunting, though, must be approved through normal channels, Møller stressed.
newsinenglish.no staff
