'Keep wild animals wild'

OSBURN –– An unfortunate situation in Osburn last month resulted in the Idaho Department of Fish and Game dispatching a young moose who had taken up residency inside the town.  

The young animal wandered into town in the middle of February and then stuck around as people began going out of their way to feed and shelter it.  

This sparked several debates on various social media platforms and pages over the dangers of feeding and sheltering wildlife. Despite these concerns, many people lashed out, believing that it was cruel to allow a young animal to go hungry in the cold. 

However, once IDFG got involved, it was clear that they would not be able to relocate the young moose.  

TJ Ross, the communications director for IDFG’s Panhandle Region, told the News-Press that, annually, his office fields numerous calls like this one.  

“Folks in the Panhandle are very accustomed to deer and turkeys in town, so we rarely hear about them unless one is injured,” Ross said. “We typically only receive calls when it is some less common species, such as moose, mountain lion, or black bear.”  

When these calls come in, IDFG tries to advise people to give the animal space, never try to feed or touch it, and hopefully it will return to the wild.  

When this strategy doesn’t work, IDFG is forced to get involved, and the results can vary from simple tranquilization and relocation to euthanization. 

“Wild animals are wild, and they need to remain that way,” Ross said. “Anytime people feed animals, the animals can become habituated to humans. Animals that are habituated to humans lose their fear of humans and can respond to humans in unexpected and dangerous ways. In addition, feeding animals can congregate them, which can lead to issues with diseases spreading and with attracting unwanted predators.”  

Ross further explained that any animal who has threatened human life will be put down regardless of the potential to relocate; So, by allowing the animal to become comfortable and, ultimately, territorial in a residential area, they’ve created a lose-lose situation for the animal.

The moose in Osburn ended up being the worst-case scenario for both the animal and the residents. Many people went back to the social media platforms to blast those who didn’t heed their advice about leaving the animal alone, and some expressed their guilt over not listening.  

“We live in a state known for its incredible wildlife,” Ross said. “Let's be thankful for that and respectful of the animals that call Idaho home. Keep wild animals wild by not feeding them.”