A moose that brought traffic to a standstill for several hours on a Stockholm metro line Wednesday after wandering into a train tunnel has been shot by gamekeepers, the Swedish capital's transport authority said.
"About 8 am (0600 GMT) we received a call from the police telling us a moose was wandering" near the metro network, said Claes Keisu, spokesman for the SL transport authority.
Keisu said the roving herbivore managed to enter the tunnel system around 11 am and spent some hours strolling between four stations, prompting SL to close the line and lay on replacement buses for commuters affected.
Police, game wardens and metropolitan network staff were then dispatched to try to entice the animal out.
"We made holes in the fence to show the exit, but he didn't take notice," explained Keisu.
"It was difficult, he ran around at speed -- he had big legs."
Efforts to calm the moose and get it out proved unsuccessful and the decision was taken to shoot the animal shortly before 3 pm.
The gamekeepers "managed to take aim and shoot him," said Keisu, adding the creature's body was recovered, allowing traffic to resume.