07-08-2025
Moose Whose Lingering Closed Mountain Trail for 2 Months Is Euthanized
A sickly bull moose whose lingering presence prompted the closing of a popular Adirondack Mountain trail for two months was euthanized on Wednesday after New York conservation officials confirmed a sharp decline in the animal's health.
The decision to humanely end the moose's life came after wildlife biologists with the Department of Environmental Conservation and the state wildlife veterinarian visited the area near the Goodman Mountain summit where the moose had been a fixture since May.
During the visit, the environmental conservation team observed 'advanced signs of disease, including severe emaciation,' the department said in a news release on Thursday.
Jacqueline Lendrum, the director of the agency's fish and wildlife division, said in a statement that the moose's 'deteriorating condition' had given it 'a low likelihood of survival.'
The agency's priority 'is always the well-being of wildlife and public safety,' she said. 'Humane euthanasia is sometimes the most responsible course of action.'
The moose was first spotted in May near the summit of Goodman Mountain, in Horseshoe Lake Wild Forest west of Lake Placid, by hikers who reported that it was letting them come close.
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