Moose tries to check in to hotel, lives another year

The front desk staff of the Mainstay Suites in Fargo, North Dakota had to deal with an unusual guest. A moose came by the hotel but was unable to communicate his exact needs. So, he hung out in the courtyard for a while, noshing on grass and leaves until a veterinarian, armed with a tranquilizer gun, put him to sleep before he could even get to a bed. Had the moose been able to communicate, he might have had a shot at getting a room. Only 75 percent of the 127 rooms were occupied.

The police were notified of the visitor at 5:45 Tuesday morning - and they were told that the moose seemed to have no interest in leaving. After being tranquilized "in the behind" (the exact quote was noted twice by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune in the beginning of the story), he wandered briefly before settling down to snooze. The animal was then carted away by a front-end loader and now calls the Erie Dam Wildlife Management area home.

Now, the moose has a big white "X" on each shoulder, warning hunters not to cap him this season. The beast's jaunt earned him a stay of execution!

Filed under: North America, United States