Saving Minnesota’s moose

"The gift of the moose," by Steve Wall

There is perhaps no creature that more people go to the BWCAW hoping to see than a moose. The big ungulate is an icon of the north woods and to see one is a special treat. In recent years, though, scientists have become worried that the state’s moose population isn’t in such great shape.

The moose herd in northwestern Minnesota has declined precipitously in the past couple decades, from several thousand in the 1980s to a mere 100 animals today. Northeastern Minnesota’s moose are still a strong 7,000, but researchers say their numbers are trending downward in a way reminiscent of the northwestern herd decline’s early stages.

Why? That seems to be the big question right now. A special expert committee organized by the Department of Natural Resources issued a report on Tuesday that described a couple broad causes for moose decline, which can be traced back directly to a warming climate:

1. Increased white-tailed deer population, which transmit a brain parasite fatal to moose when deer population densities get too high.
2. Warmer weather in both summer and winter:
   • when overheated in the summer, moose don’t eat and thus don’t have sufficient stores for the winter months
   • warmer winters contribute to growing deer populations, as well as ticks which can irritate moose to the extent that the moose will rub off its coat seeking relief and suffer exposure.

The moose is not fated to disappear from Minnesota, though. The Moose Advisory Committee also offered recommendations to the DNR of ways to combat this worrying trend. And the Friends, our members, and the public can help.

1. Keep deer populations low through hunting and elimination of feeding in northeastern Minnesota
2. Preserve habitat like wetlands that help moose stay cool in a warming climate
3. Increase public education and engagement
4. Continued monitoring of the moose population
5. More research about if and how moose can adapt to climate change

You can help moose researchers immediately by reporting any moose sightings to the Natural Resources Research Institute at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Because the moose is such an important animal in the Boundary Waters ecosystem, you can expect to see more from the Friends about this issue and how we are working to protect Minnesota’s moose.

Resources:

• Moose Advisory Committee (MAC) – DNR
• Full MAC report to the DNR (PDF)
• DNR press release about MAC report
• Minnesota Public Radio story about the report
• Report moose sightings

One Comment

• judie uhlir says:

  August 23, 2009 at 5:10 am

  Steve Wall’s Gift of the moose photo matches Saving Minnesota’s moose article perfectly.

  Reply