PLYMOUTH, Connecticut — *Editors note, Police confirmed on September 4, the viewer video FOX61 obtained is in fact video of the beefalo.
Update September 3, 7:06 pm:
Police released footage of the beefalo seen around 6 pm Wednesday night.
The footage shows the animal, again near Route 72 and Judd Road. A rumor was circulating around that the beefalo was shot and killed. This has been proven false.
The video was taken by Kyle Pelletier.
If you see the animal, please call in any sightings immediately at (860) 589-7779.
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'Beefalo Watch 2020' continues after the 1,000-pound animal escaped from an animal processing facility two weeks ago.
Police said Monday afternoon that they had located the animal using a drone in a heavily wooded area off Rt. 72 and Judd Rd. However, crews on the ground were unable to pinpoint the location after hours of searching the thick vegetation.
“The last thing we want to do is cause any harm to this animal,” said Plymouth Police Captain Ed Benecchi. “So, what we are going to try to do is get a drone up today, spot him, get some officers in the woods, and push him to an open trailer where we’ve stocked it with some grain and grass.”
A FOX61 viewer following the story sent us his video from a trail camera in Plymouth. Police have not confirmed if it is the beefalo at this time.
*Editors note: Police confirmed with FOX61 News on September 4, the video is in fact the beefalo.
Plymouth Police say the beefalo was spotted in the same area before. Just a few days ago, police had spotted the animal but were not able to catch him as he started bowing his head and scratching the ground as if to charge before retreating into the woods.
Plymouth police continue search for beefalo
“The biggest thing is just to stay away from the animal. It is aggressive, it has charged at a couple people already,” said Benecchi. “The biggest public safety concern we have is the fact that if someone hits this animal, a 1,000 pound animal versus a car, it could be quite catastrophic.”
With the help of Connecticut State police, and DEEP, the Plymouth Police Department Monday used drones to locate the animal. He was spotted around 8:30 a.m. with the infrared technology on the drone as police worker to coax him into the beefalo owner’s trailer.
“I’ve spoken with the owner, he’s out of Beckett, Massachusetts,” said Benecchi. “He has said, as soon as we recover the animal, he’s going to help in that capture, and he’s going to bring him home, and give him a good life on the farm.”
Police are warning the public, if you spot the beefalo, do not approach him as he is considered dangerous and skiddish.
“We are asking the public to please stay away from the area,” said Benecchi. “The animal is skittish, we don’t want to scare it away, and if you show up in the area, and you want to see it, all you’re going to do is hinder us in trying to get that animal back into the trailer.”