Police shoot two moose in Helsinki after animals enter urban area

Finnish police shot and killed two moose in Helsinki early Friday after the animals wandered into residential districts, public broadcaster Yle reports.

The incident occurred around 3:30 AM in the Munkkivuori and Pikku Huopalahti areas, where the moose had crossed Huopalahdentie road, according to Juuso Metsälä, a communications specialist with Helsinki Police.

Metsälä stated the animals were moving toward the city center, posing a potential traffic hazard. “Police had no alternative but to euthanize these two moose,” he said. Officers used firearms suitable for large game.

The local wildlife management association has collected the carcasses for further handling.