"Fired After Saving a Deer Almost Eaten by a Bear"… What's the Story?

Canadian Man Fired for Rescuing Baby Moose on Commute
Company Says "Capturing Wildlife Is Illegal... Dangerous Behavior"

A Canadian man who saved a baby moose (mosse·Malco sonbadak saseum) from being eaten by a black bear was fired from his job, and the story has come to light.

A Canadian man who rescued a baby moose that was nearly eaten by a black bear was fired, drawing widespread attention.
[Photo by New York Post]

On the 16th (local time), the New York Post reported the story of Mark Skarzy, who worked at a Canadian oil company.

After leaving work on the 6th of last month, Skarzy was passing through a road in British Columbia, Canada, when he found a baby moose wandering as if lost.

When Skarzy stopped his car to take a closer look, the moose approached and tried to get into the car. At that moment, he noticed a black bear pacing about 45 meters ahead.

Skarzy put the moose in the passenger seat and drove to the town to seek help. Later, he named the baby moose "Misty" and looked for an animal protection center to assist until it could be released back into the wild.

Skarzy said about the incident, "I couldn't just leave the baby moose to be eaten by the bear."

However, when the company learned of this, they fired Skarzy. His actions were clearly illegal under Canadian law, which prohibits capturing or relocating wild animals without permission.

The company pointed out, "Instead of trying to handle the situation alone, he should have first reported to the responsible wildlife officer and let the authorities deal with it."

They added, "This behavior not only put company employees and other drivers at risk but could also have harmed the moose."

Skarzy also explained on his Facebook, "I knew in my head that my actions were illegal, but in my heart, I just couldn't pass by without helping."

Netizens expressed various opinions, some praising him as a "hero," while others criticized, saying "It's right to leave it to the natural order."

In Canada, where there are many wild animals, encounters between people and wildlife on roads or in residential areas are frequent. Each time, debates often arise about how to respond.

In 2021, a woman in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, was fined as much as $60,000 (about 71.39 million KRW) for feeding a black bear.