Woman airlifted to hospital after Steamboat Springs moose attack

A woman attacked Sunday by a moose in Steamboat Springs was airlifted to a Front Range hospital with serious injuries according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife She was walking her two dogs at River Creek Park when she was attacked agency bureaucrats mentioned in a news release Both dogs were leashed A man passing by on a paddleboard determined her on the ground near the river after the attack and was helping her to the parking lot when the moose returned and kicked him according to the release Paramedics evaluated the man s minor injuries on scene and circulated him while the woman was taken to the hospital agency officers stated No update on her condition was available Tuesday State wildlife officers saw a moose with two calves in the area after the attack and believe the moose was protecting her young the release stated River Creek Park will be closed through Wednesday as wildlife authorities continue to assess the area according to the release The Sunday attack was one of three in three days according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife Two women were attacked by a moose Friday while walking their dogs along Fourmile Creek Road near Fairplay agency bureaucrats mentioned in the news release The moose charged and trampled both women multiple times until they were able to escape by climbing onto a nearby roof according to the release A neighbor scared the moose away with a fire extinguisher Neither woman sought healthcare attention bureaucrats stated Related Articles Gov Jared Polis signs bill to increase number of young people Colorado can hold in pre-trial detention How the Boulder fire attack unfolded Calm confusion chaos he s out to kill us Colorado s Jewish state lawmakers decry antisemitism in Boulder attack We must confront hate forcefully Antisemitic terror attack on Boulder s Pearl Street Mall planned for a year FBI says new casualties exposed What we know about the Pearl Street Mall attack in Boulder On Saturday a couple in Grand Lake was returning home from a walk with their dog near Columbine Lake when a moose charged them knocking the woman to the ground state wildlife administrators disclosed The woman managed to crawl under a small storage area next to their house but the moose continued to charge and attempt to stomp her according to the news release When the moose continued to show aggression towards the woman and displayed no signs of leaving her boyfriend shot and killed the moose the release stated The woman was treated on scene for injuries to her face shoulder and arms according to the state wildlife agency Wildlife officers revealed the man acted in self-defense while the moose was actively posing a threat to human robustness and safety and did not cite him for shooting it State wildlife officers believe the moose was protecting a calf which was bedded out of sight from the victim and her boyfriend at the time of the attack That calf was euthanized by the agency The decision to euthanize the calf was not easy to make Hot Sulphur Springs Area Wildlife Manager Jeromy Huntington reported in the news release While rehabilitation can be thriving in specific cases it s not a guaranteed remedy In the development of this moose calf taking it to a rehab at such a young age would not be in the best interest of the animal s long-term survival in the wild Huntington explained the rehabilitation center which can only hold animals for a year would only make the calf more content with humans leading to an increased safety threat down the road The greater part moose conflicts involve dogs according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife When recreating in areas where moose live Keep dogs on-leash to avoid them wandering off a trail and startling a moose Choose a trail with good visibility and make noise when walking through vegetation Turn around or leave an area if a calf is spotted Get behind objects like trees or boulders to put obstacles in the moose s path especially if it charges And respect posted signs warning of aggressive moose behavior or calf activity on trails The state wildlife agency has responded to injuries from moose attacks since Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter