The B.C. Conservation Officer Service is currently investigating an incident in which B.C. man Mark Skage rescued a moose calf on the side of the highway. According to CBC, the man noticed the calf alone on the side of the highway and, after multiple cars nearly hit it, decided to try to scare it away from the road. When he opened his door, however, the moose came over and attempted to climb into the pickup.
“After the second time she tried to get in, I looked up across the road, I just happened to glance over there — and halfway across the ditch, maybe like 50 yards, there was a black bear standing there. I just couldn’t do it, in my heart. People can say all they want. I know as outdoorsmen, we talk about predator control. … Black bears are the No. 1 predator for those calves. So I just thought, ‘Well, I can’t take care of the predator, but I guess maybe I can try and help out this little calf.'” – Mark Skage
Skage decided to bring the calf along with him and called the B.C. Conservation office along the way. Multiple days later, the moose was brought to a wildlife rehabilitation center. While Skage believed, and still believes, that he made the right decision, his employer, AFD Petroleum, felt quite a bit differently. As the company president explained in an emailed statement, the actions of the pickup truck driver breached company policy surrounding interactions with wildlife.
“Instead of reporting the situation to a conservation officer and allowing the authorities to handle the rescue and relocation of the moose, the individual made the independent decision to transport an uninjured moose calf, a wild animal, in the front seat of his company vehicle for many hours.” – AFD Petroleum President Dale Reimer
The company also claims that Skage failed to search for the calf’s mother in any matter and that footage from a nearby truck showed no evidence of any black bear. Skage reportedly does not endorse anyone else to do what he did and is aware of the possible legal ramifications of his actions. He still believes his actions were the right call, despite being ready to pay any fines that come his way.
According to WildSafeBC program manager Lisa Lopez, it’s important to keep space between yourself and any wildlife. If you come across a wild animal that you believes needs help, it’s best to contact the proper authorities for assistance while continuing to keep said space.
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Image Credit: Mark Skage via Facebook