Researchers Assess NY Moose After Die-Offs

Moose die-offs in Minnesota and New Hampshire have led to a three-year study of moose in the Adirondack Mountains.

“The aim is to figure out how many … we have, where they are, what kind of habitat they’re using and whether the population is stable, declining or growing,” said state wildlife biologist Ed Reed.

“We have a basic idea of the population, around 500 to 1,000…,” Reed said. “But we don’t have enough of that for a sound estimate.”

Starting this winter, the state will do an in-depth research project on Adirondack moose. Aerial counts will be conducted in January. Cornell University will analyze DNA for information on diet and population genetics. GPS satellite tracking collars will be used to follow four cows in real time on a computer screen, much like companies keep track of their truck fleets.

New York is on the southern edge of moose range. Its population was wiped out in the 1800s but has gradually grown from animals that wandered in from the north starting in around 1980. The state doesn’t allow moose hunting but solicits information from deer hunters who encounter moose.

This article appeared in print on page 26 of the December 3rd, 2014 edition of Hamodia.