An unusual sight was observed on Tuesday evening in Vilnius, near the Iron Wolf Bridge - a moose attempting to cross the Neris River. The incident was quickly captured by passersby and social media users, who shared videos and photos from the scene.
Although the animal seemed healthy and able to swim to shore on its own, the people gathered around not only watched, but also, according to some witnesses, behaved unreasonably, disturbing the moose with shouts and gestures.
"People are stupid - instead of letting him cross the river, they stop on both sides of the bank and terrorize him. He's afraid to cross. Apparently, he's a young elk," commented one Vilnius resident who observed the situation himself.
The moose was said to have been swimming in the river for some time, wandering around, but unable to decide which bank to head for. People standing around watched it closely, some trying to film it from a very close distance, causing additional stress to the animal.
Environmentalists have repeatedly reminded us that when encountering a wild animal – especially in the city – we should act with caution and not prevent it from naturally escaping. Moose, although more commonly found in forests, sometimes appear in urban areas – especially in spring, when they migrate or search for new territories.
