Moose struck, killed on Route 15 in North Haven

A moose was struck and killed on Route 15 in North Haven on Wednesday morning.

The collision was reported on the northbound side of Route 15, in the area of Exit 63, at about 7 a.m., according to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

DEEP’s EnCon police were joined at the scene by Connecticut State Police and the state’s Department of Transportation. The driver who struck the moose was not on the scene, officials from DEEP said.

The dead moose was removed from the road and will be examined by DEEP’s Wildlife Division. Officials suspect it is the same animal seen in the Watertown and Waterbury area recently, as it was last seen traveling in a direction that could have brought it to North Haven.

The fatal moose collision Wednesday comes on the heels of DEEP last week and in April warning motorists that, despite only about 100 moose in Connecticut, the animals can “pose a serious threat to public safety” if they wander onto roadways. Young moose this time of year are known to travel long distances in search of new areas to occupy, according to DEEP.

DEEP has also warned motorists that a car crash involving a moose is 13 times more likely to kill a person than a collision with a deer. Collisions involving moose, deer or bear should be reported to DEEP’s 24-hour dispatch center at 860-424-3333.