UHP: Troopers forced to put down injured moose on I-80

Westbound traffic on Interstate 80 at Parleys Summit Monday morning was slowed by Utah Highway Patrol troopers who tracked and shot an injured moose on the loose.

The animal was believed to have been hit by a vehicle about 7 a.m. and was spotted wandering on the freeway shortly thereafter. It took troopers about an hour to find the moose.

"It was injured badly and posing a hazard to traffic so the troopers had to put it down," said UHP CPl. Todd Johnson.

UHP continued to look for anyone who may have been involved in the earlier crash with the animal. Standing 6 feet at its shoulder and 1,000 pounds or more, the moose is likely to have caused significant damage to any vehicle that hit it.

The moose is the largest member of the deer family and one of the largest land mammals in North America.

remims@sltrib.com

Twitter: @remims