A moose is on the loose after traveling from Minnesota to North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa, as thousands follow its journey online.
Rutt is believed to have returned to Minnesota after a two-month journey, as captured by a social media user who saw him crossing Highway 10 on Thursday.
More than 25,000 members of the Facebook group “Central MN Moose on the Loose” have been tracking the moose’s whereabouts since September to ensure its safe return home.
The group is filled with photos and videos capturing the moose, which appears to be less than two years old, as it traveled from North Dakota through South Dakota and Iowa before returning north to its home in Minnesota.
“Maybe he’ll come home and meet another moose in time for Christmas!” Brenda Johnson, who founded the group in 2018, shared USA today.
The moose named ‘Rutt’ is believed to have returned to Minnesota after a two-month journey. He was photographed last month wandering Meeker country, Minnesota
More than 25,000 members of the Facebook group “Central MN Moose on the Loose” have been tracking the moose’s whereabouts since September and ensuring its safe return home
In September, Rutt the moose was spotted in Iowa, near the Minnesota border, and has since become a local celebrity.
“People just started posting videos and photos. And we tracked it, made a map and noted its locations,” Johnson said.
Johnson, who runs a local gift shop in Minnesota, founded the group after another moose was spotted in the same area in 2018.
At the time, the group had about 1,000 members tracking the moose, which was tragically killed by a semi-truck while crossing a highway.
Struck by the moose’s unfortunate death, the group fell silent until multiple sightings of Rutt were reported two months ago.
“It’s really fun to wake up every day and see if any new sightings come in,” Johnson said.
She told USA Today that the number of sightings will likely decrease over the coming holidays as the moose is expected to move into a deep forest to the north.
In September, Rutt the moose was spotted in Iowa, near the Minnesota border, and has since become a local celebrity
Johnson, who runs a local gift shop in Minnesota, founded the group after another moose was spotted in the same area in 2018
“It’s really fun to wake up every day and see if any new sightings come in,” Johnson said
The moose is named after the moose in the film ‘Brother Bear’ by 26-year-old Holly Stang, who saw a moose for the first time in her life.
“The moose has no idea how famous he is, and he has brought so much joy and happiness to so many people!” said Holly’s mother Bernie Stang, who spotted the animal in late October.
When Rutt spent nearly a week in Sauk Center, a Minnesota city near Interstate 94, the group’s main concern was whether he could get through safely.
“He was in a town called Sauk Center, just south of Interstate 94, for almost a week,” Johnson said. “And we were afraid he wouldn’t make it overnight.”
Fans of Rutt had been eagerly awaiting updates on whether the massive creature would successfully navigate Interstate 94, which he ultimately did.
He was then spotted after crossing another highway and continuing his journey north. But “nobody knows exactly where he’s going,” Johnson said.
Despite mysteries surrounding its final destination, it has “brought so much joy, hope and so much happiness to so many people,” fans said.
The group is filled with photos and videos capturing the moose, which appears to be less than two years old, as it traveled from North Dakota through South Dakota and Iowa before returning north to its home in Minnesota.
About 3,300 elk usually live in the northern Minnesota state, according to Todd Froberg of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
When Rutt spent nearly a week in Sauk Center, a Minnesota city near Interstate 94, the group’s main concern was whether he could get through safely.
Rutt fans had been eagerly awaiting updates on whether the massive creature would successfully navigate Interstate 94, which he ultimately did
Last month, Danielle Magnuson spent several days a week searching for the moose until she finally found it on Nov. 13 near Sauk Center.
“It’s almost like seeing a unicorn,” Magnuson said Associated press. “They are just very beautiful animals, and we don’t get a chance to see them in our area.”
About 3,300 elk usually live in the northern Minnesota state, according to Todd Froberg of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
When elk move into central or southern Minnesota, they “stand out like a sore thumb,” Froberg said in an interview with Star Tribune.
“I would say this one is quite unique,” he said. “I think it’s probably just looking for a home range or another moose.”
Moose may behave strangely and leave their typical habitat if infected with a roundworm known as brainworm.
However, this famous moose appears to be in good health, as noted by Froberg.