The cars hit the moose around 7 p.m. near Lamb’s Canyon, according to Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Chris Bishop.
“At least five vehicles struck the moose and were disabled,” he said. “Fortunately, nobody was injured – aside from the moose.”
Traffic backed up for about an hour while vehicles involved were cleared from the scene.
The moose died at the scene.
A baby moose was also present, but the Division of Wildlife Resources confirmed it was unharmed. DWR officials encouraged it to move away from the highway and up the hill to safety.
Save People Save Wildlife president Erin Ferguson said the incident was upsetting.
“UDOT said… we’re not going to prioritize wildlife concerns; at this point, we’re going to focus on public safety issues,” she said. “While it might seem like on the surface it’s only a wildlife safety issue or a wildlife concern, it is a public safety issue as well.”
The DWR relocated four moose in January, and Ferguson says at least four moose have been struck and killed by cars this winter.
