11-year-old met moose on the way to school in Skibotn in Troms – news Troms og Finnmark

The case in summary: An 11-year-old in Skibotn in Troms had a terrifying encounter with a moose cow and two calves on the way to school. Permission was granted to cull the moose cow and calves after they were perceived as threatening near the school yard. The three moose were shot on Thursday morning, and it is now safe to travel in the area, according to the municipality and the headmaster of the school. There are many moose in the area, and there have been challenges with moose for several years. The leader of the search ring in Tromsø says that you should keep your distance if you meet moose. – He said it was a very frightening experience. He thought his last hour had come. That’s what Vegar Engstad says. He lives in Skibotn in Storfjord municipality in Troms. On Tuesday, his son, Nicklas (11), had a close encounter with three moose along the school road. The son was going to school. A moose cow and two moose calves were on one side of the school fence. Then the calves crossed the main road. Nicklas ended up in the middle between the calves and the moose cow. – He didn’t have that many ways he could escape. What do you do in a panic? That’s what Nicklas’ dad asks. Nicklas called his mum, who works at the school. She ran out as fast as she could, Nicklas’ father says. – Whether it was she who scared the moose, or whether it was a car that drove by, is uncertain. The cow turned and walked away, says Vegar. Framtid i Nord told the story of Nicklas and the moose on Wednesday. In front of this fence, the moose walked, at Skibotn school in Storfjord. Photo: Christian Kråkenes / news The mother of the 11-year-old also described the situation as dramatic, says the father. – It’s good that the municipality took responsibility as quickly as they did and now the moose has been felled, so it will be a safe school road. – It is of course stupid that they had to take the animals away, but there must be a safe way to school for the children, both during the day and in the evening, says Vegar. Think it’s safe now – There are a lot of moose here. A lot of moose. That’s what the principal at Skibotn school, Lill Kvalberg Berntsen, says. – Most moose are afraid of us, and run when we come. This moose did not, and that is why we reacted. A few hours after the decision to kill the three moose was made, they were felled in Gunnarskog, not far from Nicklas’ school. Photo: Christian Kråkenes / news – The cow welcomes the school children and us. Then it becomes extraordinary, and that is why I reacted. The headmaster believes it is safe to travel in the village now. – Sad, but necessary ending to the story. The moose close to the school in Skibotn. Three moose shot It was the municipality that made an emergency decision and decided that the three moose should be killed. Mayor of Storfjord, Geir Varvik (H), says that they had no alternatives. – Not after what happened two days ago. Then children were almost chased by a moose cow on their way to school. They had become too warm inside the school yard. – The elk has been in the residential area for a long time. We had to. Easily. Varvik says that such decisions are never easy, but that Skibotn has had challenges with moose for several years. The mayor says there are a lot of moose in the area, and points out that there were far more felling permits in 2023 than in 2022. Geir Varvik (H), mayor of Storfjord. Photo: Christian Kråkenes / news Mixed feelings Alexander Karlsen is the leader of the search ring in Storfjord. They felled moose last year and two years ago. But it is constantly attracting new moose to the settlement. Alexander Karlsen leads the team that felled the three moose. Photo: Christian Kråkenes / news – Now we have taken out those who have been the problem this week, so we will see if things calm down a bit now. When they were out, they counted seven moose, in addition to the three they had a felling permit for. – There are somewhat mixed feelings. It’s a bit of a shame that we have to take them out, but it was a necessity. So it’s good that it went as well as it did. On Thursday, three moose were shot, according to a damage reduction permit. Photo: Sveinung Åsali / news



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