The killing of a rare “spirit” moose in Canada has shocked residents of a northern Ontario community and prompted one First Nations man to offer a reward to anyone who can help officials apprehend the suspected poachers.
Residents around the city of Timmins have long swapped stories of a ghostly white moose population occasionally spotted moving silently through forests of aspen and pine.
But poachers recently killed two female moose, including one white cow. The remains, including their heads, were left discarded along a remote service road.
“The spirit moose has and always will be sacred and respected in our family and our community,”Troy Woodhouse of the aboriginal group Flying Post First Nations said. “We coexisted with the spirit moose on our traditional territory. Our ancestors and elders have told us stories our entire lives about the majestic creature and how lucky we are to have them in our area.”
The province banned hunting the animal in the Timmins and Foleyet areas, and when one was shot in October, it sparked a public outcry. /.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry said Friday it has received no tips in the case
Source: The Guardian and Northern Ontario CTV News