8-year-old girl recovers after ‘unusual’ moose attack in northern Colorado

An 8-year-old girl has been released from the hospital and is recovering after being attacked by a moose while biking in northern Colorado.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is investigating what it calls an “unusual and unfortunate” attack on an elk in Estes Park and plans to examine the cow’s calf.

The incident occurred Thursday afternoon, CPW said Friday. Wildlife officials said the moose attacked the girl, who was biking about 180 feet away, and then trampled on her several times. Officials did not identify the girl.

“This is an unusual and unfortunate situation where a young girl was playing outside far away from the calf and a female elk became aggressive to protect her newborn,” said Jason Duetsch, CPW wildlife manager. “Although it is a natural response for elk to be very defensive during calving season, it is not often that they injure someone, especially a child. We are glad that the girl is recovering from her injuries and wish her continued speedy recovery.”

After the attack, a game warden went to the area and found a cow moose and her calf. The cow became aggressive toward the officer, who then fired nonlethal beanbag rounds at the moose, which calmed it down, according to CPW. The officer stayed in the area for several hours and posted signs warning people of an aggressive moose.

On Friday, the officer returned, captured the calf and brought it to CPW’s health laboratory so veterinarians and wildlife experts could care for it and study its behavior.

“The calf will help us better understand the biology and behavior of moose. It will be well cared for in the lab and will play an important role in the work the lab does for all of Colorado’s wildlife,” said CPW spokeswoman Kara Van Hoose.

Elk have been known to display aggressive behavior toward humans and other animals to protect their young. Humans should not approach elk or other wildlife, even if it appears the young animal has been left alone, as other animals may be nearby, watching the animal or foraging for food.

The girl who was attacked by the moose was taken to the hospital and treated for her injuries but was released the same day.

Estes Park is located about 65 miles northwest of Denver and borders Rocky Mountain National Park immediately to the east. It is known for a significant moose population at certain times of the year, which often seen in the city or in nearby communities. Female elk can weigh between 225 and 270 kilograms and have an average shoulder height of 1.47 meters.