Orphaned moose Paris fighting for her life
Cheryl Chan, The Province
Published: Monday, June 11, 2007

Paris the sick moose is fighting for her life.

The baby moose, weighing only about 15 kilograms, was extremely dehydrated and malnourished when she was rescued by Terrace residents and brought by the RCMP to a veterinary clinic last Friday. Her mother was likely killed in the floods.

Police, who thought the baby moose was male, christened the animal "Bubba," and made her the unofficial Terrace RCMP mascot.

"She isn't doing that well right now," said vet David Farkvam yesterday. "She's fighting for her life. We are just hoping to get her through the day."

Meanwhile, the Farkvams wanted to give her a more fitting name.

"I want to name her Paris, and our kids didn't like it at first because the real Paris is locked up behind bars," said Sylvia Farkvam.

Other names bandied about were Bambi and Marilyn the Moose.

But it looks like Paris is going to stick. "We figured she's living in the Paris Hilton right now, and we're waiting on her hand

and foot," said Farkvam. Paris is confined in an empty water tank under heat lamps. She is too weak to eat and is being fed goat's milk and antibiotics intravenously.

Farkham said that things may be looking up for Paris -- her suck reflex is coming back.

He hopes the animal pulls through and gets an "early release."

"It'll be a day-to-day fight for her. We're crossing our fingers."

Once Paris becomes well enough, conservation officers will move her to an animal- rehab facility in Smithers.