Moose fatally hit on Interstate 80 near Lambs Canyon

Photo: Beth Carpenter

SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah — A tragic incident occurred just before 8 p.m. last night near Lambs Canyon when a cow moose was struck by five vehicles. Scott Root, the Division of Wildlife Resources’ (DWR) central region outreach manager, confirmed the accident, stating that, as of this morning, the team was en route to retrieve the carcass.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing more moose wandering in the natural median near the scene. Cpl. Haley Scheer of the Utah Highway Patrol confirmed that there was a baby calf in the area, but they do not believe it was hit.

Cattle guards in the area are designed to deter wildlife from entering onto roadways and guide them towards designated wildlife crossings. It appears that the wildlife, including moose, are bypassing these protective measures.

Erin Ferguson, president of Save People Save Wildlife, commented, “The fencing and crossings and cattle guards need to be maintained. You can’t drive a car with only three wheels or without a steering wheel. The fencing needs to be the length of Parley’s, so they can’t simply walk around it. The cattle guards need to be cleared of snow and ice so ice bridging doesn’t form. More crossings need to be placed. UDOT needs to prioritize wildlife concerns because, as is evident from last night’s tragedy, wildlife safety concerns are in tandem with public safety concerns.”