VIENNA (AP) – For weeks, unusual immigrant sightings have placed an Austrian corner on its toe.
Moose, who became known as Emile, appeared in Lower Austria, the northeastern state of Vienna almost three weeks ago, but does not appear to have to leave in a hurry. The animal sightings portrayed curious spectators, and by Monday he had 10,000 members on his Facebook fan page.
It was an eventful few days for Emile. Moose appeared last week on the outskirts of the state’s capital, St. Perten. On a Saturday evening he found his way to the tracks at the main train station. This prompted the closure of the Vienna Salzburg mainline passing through the city for several hours.
Moose is not native to Austria. Emil is believed to have come from Poland via the Czech Republic, a neighbor to the north of Austria.
Local animal protection organizations say people should avoid feeding him or getting close to him for photos and videos. It urged people to leave the animals in peace and not take special trips to see him – Moose said in a social media post, “Don’t need intimacy with humans.”
Emile’s whereabouts were not clear on Monday. Police reported no new developments related to Moose, Austrian news agency reported.
