x
Breaking News
More () »

Wildlife officers free moose that got entangled in rope

Colorado Parks and Wildlife said the moose was injured but will heal after he got a rope wrapped around his neck and ears.
Credit: Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Two Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers freed a moose from a rope wrapped around its neck and ears west of Lake Isabelle on Friday, Aug. 15, 2020.

BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — Two wildlife officers tracked and freed a moose on Friday that had gotten a rope wrapped around his head.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife first tweeted on Friday afternoon about reports of a moose entangled in a rope at the Brainard Lake Recreation Area in Boulder County.

By Friday evening, the CPW officers were able to track the moose to an area west of Lake Isabelle, close to Pawnee Pass. They tranquilized the bull, which weighed more than 1,000 pounds, and removed the rope.

The moose had injuries from the rope being wrapped around his neck and ears, but CPW said the bull will heal just fine. Other than the cuts from the rope, the moose was in good condition, CPW said.

CPW wasn't sure at the moose's age. He was ear-tagged and relocated out of Boulder in 2014, which would make him at least 6 or 7 years old. The tops of his main paddle were relatively flat, which indicated he was an older bull.

CPW released video of the moose walking away after the officers removed the rope.

The moose wasn't the only animal entangled in human trash that CPW officers were looking for. Officers were still hunting for a bull elk in the area of Conifer and the Mount Evans Wilderness Area that had a tire around his neck.

RELATED: Elk has been living with tire around neck for more than a year

 The elk was first seen more than a year ago, and there have been about six sightings since then.

RELATED: Colorado Parks and Wildlife: Secure trash and bird feeders, stop feeding the wildlife

RELATED: CPW aims to identify unknown disease in mountain goats

 SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Local stories from 9NEWS

Before You Leave, Check This Out