Moose tales of Muskoka, how these majestic Canadian animals found refuge
Orphaned under unknown circumstances, the moose calve duo arrived at Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Muskoka, Ont. in separate incidents. Supplied)
At Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in the heart of Muskoka, every animal has a unique story. Some begin in hardship, others in danger but all are met with compassion, care, and a commitment to seeing each special soul find their way back home.
Among the many animals under watchful eye at the northern sanctuary, the moose, a majestic symbol of the Canadian wilderness holds a long-lasting place.
Each moose has walked a different path of life... quite literally. Some have even found their way into dangerous territory like the busy highway.
Moose in the median
It was a tense and uncertain few days when a young cow moose had taken refuge in the narrow median along Highway 400. 'Not moving much, and at real risk if she decided to cross into traffic,' shared the team at Aspen. She stayed there nearly motionless for five entire days. When passerby's had noticed, calls came pouring in.
On June 5, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, police, and the National Wildlife Centre coordinated a remarkable rescue. In a strategic move, both directions of the highway were shut down and the baby was successfully sedated and transported to her now peaceful surroundings of Aspen Valley.
Safe in a large outdoor enclosure, the youngin is under close watch. The team says they are still monitoring her for signs of illness or injury, but for now, she's recovering quietly in the summer Muskoka air.
Cow moose
For nearly five days, a young cow moose had taken up residence in the median of Highway 400. not moving much, and at real risk if she decided to cross into traffic, she is now sanctioned at Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Muskoka, Ont. (Supplied)
A match made in heaven
While one moose begins her road to recovery, two youngsters are just beginning theirs. Orphaned under unknown circumstances, the moose calve duo arrived at Aspen Valley in separate incidents. Alone at first, they've now found each other forming a beautiful friendship.
'They're growing stronger every day on their journey back to the wild,' shared the team at the sanctuary. In a cozy enclosure, and bundles of hay beneath their hooves, the moose are slowly warming up to each other.
Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
Orphaned under unknown circumstances, the moose calve duo arrived at Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Muskoka, Ont. in separate incidents. Supplied)
A decade of loving Ella the Moose
Then there's Ella, the moose who's been at Aspen Valley the longest. This past May, she hit a decade, and while the celebration was a little belated the love certainly wasn't.
Ella's story is different from the rest of her fellow moose friends. She can't be released and Aspen Valley has become her forever home.
Over the years Ella has become a quiet ambassador for her kind, teaching staff about the strength of these majestic creatures.
While moose in the wild live roughly 15 to 25 years, 'with your continued support, we're hoping for many more wonderful years with this incredible girl,' shared Muskoka staff.
Her birthday isn't just a milestone, it's a moment for the sanctuary to reflect on everything she represents; resilience, love, and the importance of lifelong care for animals all over the beautiful earth.
Ella the Moose
Ella, the moose who's been at Aspen Valley in Muskoka Ont. the longest. This past May, she hit a decade old. (Supplied)
Nap time for one sleepy guy
To top it all off, here is one of the orphaned moose calves soaking up a peaceful nap. He's got a long journey ahead, according to staff but for now, he rests warm, full, and surrounded by his care team.
The team will be there every step of the way until he's strong enough to return to the wild where it all started.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
30 minutes ago
- CTV News
Drysdale Tree Farms community mourns loss of Doug Drysdale
Doug Drysdale passed away on June 11, at the age of 76 The Drysdale Tree Farms community is mourning the loss of Doug Drysdale who passed away peacefully on June 11. Drysdale was a loving husband, father, friend, and an accomplished forester, farmer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Born and raised in Toronto, Doug married his high school sweetheart Joan in 1953 and raised his family in the Don Mills area before moving to live at their family home, on Drysdale Tree farm located just outside of Barrie in 1980. According to the obituary, Doug's passion for trees was taught from his dad, who planted on the family home when Doug was a small boy. Doug then helped his dad launch the Christmas tree business in 1951. While pursuing a sperate career, Doug built Drysdale Tree Farms into a successful business. His company distributed trees throughout North America. Doug often advised elected officials on forestry economic and spoke frequently at conferences at all levels. He was also a teacher and mentor, lecturing at University of Toronto and University of Guelph. Drysdale Tree Farms was one of the first businesses to offer 'cut your own' Christmas trees. The company grew over the years into a landscaping, a Christmas store with sleigh rides, and other festive activities over the years. According to his family, Doug's passion and top priorities was his loved ones. Doug will be dearly missed by extended family and friends. Drysdale passed at 92.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Stream of Dreams unveiled at Dearness
Volunteers at the Stream of Dreams, Dearness Home on June 18, 2025. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London) There's something fishy going on at London's Dearness Home. 'It looks beautiful, beautiful. Everybody did a wonderful job,' said Dearness resident Betty Pierce, 82. The senior was among those who took in the unveiling of the 'Stream of Dreams' mural at the long-term care home Wednesday. The 'Dream Fish' display was installed on a fence outside the care home. Colourfully decorated, painted fish are strung together in patterns along the length of a chain link fence outside the home, complementing the beauty of the natural gardens. Each fish is meant as an expression of memories, hopes, and dreams for local waterways. The mural was made in partnership with the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority. 'Stream of Dreams' Coordinator Linda Smith said she hopes it gets people thinking about where water ends up when we discard it. 'One of the main messages of the Stream of Dreams program is understanding that when your water goes down storm drains, it's going directly to the Thames River or the nearest creek, and it's not cleaned first. So, we really want people to be aware of what they're doing at home, so we can all take better care of our water,' said Smith. The fish were painted by residents, family, staff, and volunteers. Dearness Director Leslie Hancock said it's been a great way for residents to express themselves. 'A wonderful opportunity for our residents to have creative expression, and also show their support for the environment,' said Hancock.
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Grizzly bears, cougars, sheep and deer met without incident during G7, officials say
As the G7 summit concludes in the popular wilderness destination of Kananaskis, Alta., officials say provincial teams managed frequent animal encounters without serious incident. Alberta conservation officers and fish and wildlife officers responded to occurrences involving grizzly bears, black bears, cougars, moose, bighorn sheep and deer during the summit, according to a spokesperson with Alberta's Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Services. "None of these occurrences involved any abnormal interactions with the wildlife in question and our standard methods to safely move them away were successful," Sheena Campbell wrote in an email. Officials responded to approximately 200 wildlife-related incidents, about half involving grizzly or black bears, said Bryan Sundberg with Alberta Forestry and Parks. All were minor in nature, requiring only minimal intervention with no relocations or harm to wildlife, he said. "Primarily, we would respond to areas on foot ... to areas where wildlife complaints were received, and use noisemaking activities," he said. Response teams also used thermal imaging cameras and leveraged RCMP drones to monitor real-time wildlife activity. "Additionally, specially-trained K9 teams, 'bear dogs,' [were] on-site to support our proactive approach," Campbell wrote. Bear dogs were embedded with wildlife mitigation and response teams, primarily to deter bears safely. Complex, wild environment In the run-up to the summit, officials highlighted the "complexity" of hosting the summit in the remote terrain of the Kananaskis wilderness. Preventing encounters with bears was of particular focus, both for the safety of attendees and given past incidents. The last time the summit was held in Kananaskis in 2002, a bear that got too close to the site was tranquilized and later died after falling from a tree. Nick de Ruyter, program director of the BioSphere Institute's WildSmart program, said this is a busy time of year for bear populations. "They've come out of their dens of hibernation, in April and May. They're hungry, they're looking for food," he said. While he doesn't know the exact numbers, de Ruyter estimated there are around 65 grizzly bears and more than 200 black bears in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country area. There being no wildlife conflicts during the G7 despite an influx of people speaks to how tolerant and adaptable local wildlife is, de Ruyter said. "Ninety-nine per cent of the time, they do the right thing. They're just trying to make a living out on the landscape, and they will avoid us," he said. "They'll avoid encounters and conflict with people as much as they can. And so we just need to do our part and respect that."
