Killing of Rare Canadian ‘Spirit’ Moose Sparks Outrage, Sadness and a Search for Those Responsible

Killing of Rare Canadian ‘Spirit’ Moose Sparks Outrage, Sadness and a Search for Those Responsible

When a rare white female moose was found dead in northern Ontario, Canada, along a remote service road last month, nearby indigenous residents were shocked. The animal is considered sacred by indigenous peoples in the region, and hunting it is banned in the areas where the slain animal was found. Then came outrage, sadness and a desire to find the people responsible.

White moose have been spotted in the Foleyet area near the city of Timmins for more than 40 years, per the Guardian. The Flying Post First Nation — the term used to describe certain indigenous peoples in Canada — has its reserve lands northwest of Timmins, and refer to the white moose as a “spirit moose.” The moose are not albino or a distinct species, and in fact owe their appearance to a recessive gene.

[referenced id=”1528505″ url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2020/11/deepwater-sightings-of-rare-bigfin-squid-reveal-some-serious-weirdness/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/12/digtexmx2qbwwacwsjbm-300×169.png” title=”Deepwater Sightings of Rare Bigfin Squid Reveal Some Serious Weirdness” excerpt=”An extensive survey of deep waters off the coast of Australia has resulted in a trove of bigfin squid sightings. And by trove, we mean the detection of five individuals — these deep-sea creatures are exceptionally rare, so any new observations are quite valuable to scientists.”]

In the region, there are signs that warn hunters not to kill the white moose. The province has banned hunting the animal in the Timmins and Foleyet areas, according to CTV News.

As if killing the animal wasn’t enough, the people responsible left its remains, including its head, discarded on the road, the Guardian reported. The perpetrators also killed another female moose, although this one was not a white moose.

Flying Post chief Murray Ray lamented the tragedy.

“Everybody is outraged and sad. Why would you shoot it? No one needs one that bad,” Ray told the Guardian. “If you have a licence to shoot a cow moose, you could shoot another one. Just leave the white ones alone.”

A white moose in Ontario, Canada, near Foleyet. (Photo: Mark Clement / clementphotography.ca)
A white moose in Ontario, Canada, near Foleyet. (Photo: Mark Clement / clementphotography.ca)

The incident has prompted an investigation by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. The ministry told CTV news on Friday that it had not received any tips in the case, and a media representative said that it continues to investigate the matter.

Others are also trying to lend a hand in the search. Flying Post member Troy Woodhouse is offering a reward of C$1,000, or about $US760 ($1,045), for any information on those responsible for killing the white moose. His reward prompted another Aboriginal business owner, Rene Turgeon, who works in the area, to add another C$1,000 for any information. Foundations and crime-stopping organisations have also donated, bringing the total reward to C$9,000 ($US6,850 ($9,422)).

[referenced id=”1525965″ url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2020/11/today-is-the-day/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/04/w5n572ak9jjijxgpwqiy-300×169.jpg” title=”Apropos Of Nothing, Here’s Some Fun Jellyfish Facts” excerpt=”The day we’ve all been waiting for is finally here. It’s the day I marked on my calendar months ago, the one that prompted me to buy my favourite snacks and a six-pack and to text my boneless friends that I love them. Maybe you commemorated the day early and…”]

Woodhouse told the Guardian that years ago, when he and his wife were fishing near the Groundhog River in Ontario, he saw a white figure on the tree line. As they got closer, Woodhouse found that the figure was a young white moose — right near his grandfather’s homestead.

“It was a sign that he’s watching over us on the land. It was very special to me,” Woodhouse said.

[The Guardian and CTV News]


The Cheapest NBN 50 Plans

It’s the most popular NBN speed in Australia for a reason. Here are the cheapest plans available.

At Gizmodo, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.