WORCESTER, Mass. - A moose is back safe in the woods after creating some excitement during a run through Worcester’s Main South neighborhood on Wednesday morning. 

Minerva Correa was visiting a friend when she spotted the animal.

“We said ‘Oh wow. Look at it. A big animal in your yard,’” Correa said.  She shared some photos she took of the moose with Spectrum News 1. 

“I’m a little scared because it was the first time I saw him,” Correa said. “It was a beautiful animal.”

The moose ran through Desiree Rivera’s backyard on King Street. 

“It was crazy. A lot of people, a lot of police, because it was like running away, you know,” Rivera said. “It’s crazy. “

About a dozen police officers and city workers responded. They immobilized the animal, said to be about 4 or 5 years old.

Dave Wattles, a Massachusetts Wildlife biologist, says it's mating season for moose, so it's common for them to be on the move.

"Right now is the mating season for moose.  So they are moving widely, particularly the males like this one, they're trying to find mates. And so right on the West side of Worcester you've got large tracts of forest in the Worcester watershed lands, really continuous blocks of moose habitat for miles and miles. So it's not surprising to have moose there at all," Wattles said. "And then this time a year as they're moving in mating season they can end up in places like this.”

Massachusetts Environmental Police say something like this usually happens a few times a year in the city and it was important to help the moose get back to an area where he'd feel more at home.

Just the reality is that he was 20 blocks into the city and there's not an easy escape for him,” Wattles said.

The moose was treated for some minor cuts before being set free in the woods. The residents here say they’re glad that everyone, including the moose, is okay.