Alaska News

Moose injures girl in Eagle River stomping

A moose stomped the arm of an elementary school-aged child Monday evening in Eagle River, police say.

Two girls, 11 and 6, were playing on the 18900 block of Sokolof Circle in Eagle River when a moose began to chase them, said Anchorage Police Department spokesman Lt. Dave Parker.

The girls ran to a piece of playground equipment in a nearby yard to escape the animal, he said.

"The moose got tangled up in it and yanked it down," Parker said of the equipment, which he described as a children's playhouse.

The 6-year-old was "severely stomped on the arm and had hoof marks on her back," Parker said.

The girl was taken to Providence Alaska Medical Center for treatment.

Her injuries did not appear life-threatening, the police spokesman said.

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The older girl was struck by the collapsing playground equipment, he said. She was treated and released at the scene.

Neighbors said they suspect the same moose had raised calves in the neighborhood in past years, Parker said.

He said he didn't know if the moose had a calf with it at the time of the attack.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game wildlife biologists have been notified of the incident, Parker said.

An area Fish and Game wildlife biologist could not immediately be reached for comment.

Reach Michelle Theriault Boots at mtheriault@adn.com or 257-4344.

By MICHELLE THERIAULT BOOTS

Anchorage Daily News

Michelle Theriault Boots

Michelle Theriault Boots is a longtime reporter for the Anchorage Daily News. She focuses on in-depth stories about the intersection of public policy and Alaskans' lives. Before joining the ADN in 2012, she worked at daily newspapers up and down the West Coast and earned a master's degree from the University of Oregon.

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