We’re no fans of hunting in general, but even among hunting enthusiasts there are rules for what animals you can and cannot kill.
Some animals are protected, either because they are at-risk or just have a special meaning to people. And when the line is crossed and these creatures are killed for sport, it leaves people outraged.
That was the case recently, after a rare white moose was found killed in Ontario, Canada—one that held special significance to local tribes.
These white moose—not albinos, but caused by a recessive gene—have for years been seen around the city of Timmins, gracing lucky locals with the sight of these beautiful, unique animals.
They are also considered sacred. According to The Guardian, white animals are considered to be spirit animals by local Indigenous tribes, who believe they should not be harmed.
Troy Woodhouse of the nearby Flying Post First Nation community recalled seeing one of these white moose, and said it was a special experience.
“It was a sign that he’s watching over us on the land. It was very special to me,” he told The Guardian.
In recent years, these animals even got their own legal protections. Signs around the area warn hunters not to kill the white moose.
But that didn’t stop poachers from killing a white female moose last month. The rare creature’s body, along with that of another moose, were found discarded by the road.
The news shocked and saddened locals, who couldn’t understand why anyone would kill a white moose like this.
“Everybody is outraged and sad. Why would you shoot it? No one needs one that bad,” said Chief Murray Ray. “If you have a license to shoot a cow moose, you could shoot another one. Just leave the white ones alone.”
“It saddens me that somebody would take such a beautiful animal,” Troy Woodhouse said. “Nobody knows exactly how many are in the area, so the loss of a single spirit moose is one too many.”
It is currently unknown who shot the moose, but an investigation is underway, and Woodhouse began a reward for information that now stands at $8,000.
We can’t understand why anyone would want to kill a beautiful, rare moose like this. We hope these poachers face justice for this!
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