Moose spends day running through Canadian city, evades capture

Nov. 27 (UPI) -- A moose that captured Canada's attention by running loose through a city for an entire day and evading capture may have left the area on its own, officials said.

The moose became a viral sensation Friday when it was repeatedly caught on camera dashing through various locations in Markham, Ontario, and the Ministry of Natural Resources dispatched wildlife officers to attempt to capture and relocate the large animal.

Police said the moose prompted temporary road closures when it was spotted trotting near a busy stretch of highway.

The search for the moose was called off Friday evening and the MNR said no sightings were reported Saturday.

"Right now we're just waiting to see what happens and hoping it's moved on," Jolanta Kowalski, a ministry spokeswoman, told the Toronto Star on Sunday morning.

Kowalski said officials are continuing to monitor the area and are prepared to return if the moose resurfaces in an urban area.

"Every few years there might be a bear that comes a little further south than normal, but I think for a moose it was unusual," she said.