A moose is on the loose after traveling from Minnesota to North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa – as thousands track his 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 in the Facebook group ‘Central MN Moose on the Loose’ have been tracking the moose’s whereabouts since September, ensuring his safe return home.
The group is filled with photos and videos capturing the moose, which appears to be less than two years old, as he traveled from North Dakota through South Dakota and Iowa before heading back north to its home in Minnesota.
‘He might make it home and meet some other moose in time for Christmas!’ Brenda Johnson, who created the group in 2018, told USA Today.
The moose named ‘Rutt’ is believed to have returned to Minnesota after a two-month journey. He was pictured last month roaming through Meeker country in Minnesota
More than 25,000 members in the Facebook group ‘Central MN Moose on the Loose’ have been tracking the moose’s whereabouts since September, ensuring his 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 pictures. And we’ve been following it and making a map and jotting down his locations,’ Johnson said.
Johnson, who runs a local gift shop in Minnesota, created the group after another moose was spotted in the same area in 2018.
At that time, the group had around 1,000 members tracking the moose, who was tragically killed by a semi-truck while crossing a highway.
Struck by the moose’s unfortunate demise, the group fell into silence until multiple sightings of Rutt were reported two months ago.
‘It’s really fun to wake up every day and see if there’s any new sightings coming through,’ said Johnson.
She told USA Today that sightings will likely decrease in the upcoming holidayas as the moose is expected to move into a deep forest up 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, created 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 there’s any new sightings coming through,’ said Johnson
The moose was named after the moose in the film ‘Brother Bear’ by Holly Stang, 26, who saw a moose for the first time in her life.
‘The moose has no clue 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 town near Interstate 94, the group was particularly worried about whether he could pass through it safely.
‘He was in a town called Sauk Center for almost a week, which is just south of Interstate 94,’ said Johnson. ‘And we were worried he wasn’t gonna 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 having crossed over another highway and continuing on his journey up north. However, ‘nobody knows exactly where he’s gonna go,’ said Johnson.
Despite mysteries around his final destination, it has bring ‘so much joy, hope and so much happiness for 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 he traveled from North Dakota through South Dakota and Iowa before heading back north to its home in Minnesota
Approximately 3,300 moose in the state usually inhabit northern Minnesota, according to Todd Froberg with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
When Rutt spent nearly a week in Sauk Center, a Minnesota town near Interstate 94, the group was particularly worried about whether he could pass through it safely
Fans of Rutt had been eagerly awaiting updates on whether the massive creature would successfully navigate Interstate 94, which he ultimately did
Last month, Danielle Magnuson dedicated several days a week searching for the moose, until she finally located him on November 13 near Sauk Center.
‘It’s almost like seeing a unicorn,’ Magnuson told Associated Press. ‘They’re just really beautiful animals, and we don’t get a chance to see them around our area.’
Approximately 3,300 moose in the state usually inhabit northern Minnesota, according to Todd Froberg with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
When moose venture 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’s fairly unique,’ he said. ‘I think it’s probably just out searching for a home territory or other moose.’
Moose could behave oddly and leave their typical habitat if they are infected with a roundworm known as brainworm.
However, this renowned moose appears to be in good health, as noted by Froberg.