A woman is in serious condition at Norwalk Hospital after her car hit a moose on the Merritt Parkway.

The driver has been identified as 51-year-old Kim Pitcher, of New Hampshire. The car she was driving is now at New Canaan Auto Body with extensive damage.

The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) says it was trying to track the moose after it was spotted near the Fairfield/Easton border.

The moose was euthanized by the DEP since it was severely injured. According to the DEP, the young male moose weighed about 500 pounds.Don Goff, Director of Animal Programs at Bridgeport's Beardsley Zoo, says it is likely the moose was on the run. ?When they get to be about 2 years old the moms start kicking them out of the groups so they have to find their own place to live,? Goff said.

Goff said hitting a moose can often be fatal because of their size.