An animal shelter owner in Smithers is reeling after coming across the poached remains of a young female moose that he had raised after she was found abandoned as a tiny calf.
Peter Langan of the the Northern Lights Wildlife Centre went to investigate a large number of carrion birds at the side of the Telkwa High Road near his home, 15-kilometres outside of Smithers, and came across the remains of "Lucky".
The cow moose had apparently been killed on New Year's Eve and partly removed by poachers.
Lucky became a big story in the Prince George area after she was rescued from a small island in the Fraser River where the raging spring waters had trapped her in 2005. She was kept at the shelter until released into the wild later the same year.
Lucky frequently visited the shelter on her own after being released and had stayed in the area.
"What is particularly upsetting in this is the fact that only the head and guts where left," said Langen, "This indicates that the cow moose was gutted and quartered and taken by whoever killed her just a few meters off the road. A bloody trail, where they dragged out the pieces led to the road where a vehicle was parked."
Also upsetting, said his wife Angelika, who runs the shelter with him, was that Lucky had a calf born last spring.
"We're keeping an eye on it," she said, "but it is old enough to survive on its own now."
The local authorities have been informed and are investigating, but unless some witnesses come forward, chances of finding the poachers are slim to none.
Angelika said this was the first poached moose they had ever come across in the area.
Local conservation officer Kevin Nixon said it was an illegal kill because it had taken place on private property which was clearly sign posted. Lucky was likely shot from the road, which was also illegal, he said.
