Posted on 03/06/2014 10:57:01 AM PST by Red Badger
GRAND PORTAGE, Minn. — For moose, this year’s winter-long deep freeze across the Upper Midwest is truly ideal weather. The large, gangly creatures are adapted to deep snow: Their hollow fur insulates them like fiberglass does in a house. And the prolonged cold helps eradicate pests that prey on moose, like ticks and meningeal worm, or brain worm. Yet moose in Minnesota are dying at an alarming rate, and biologists are perplexed as to why. Continue reading the main story Related Coverage
Mark Keech, right, a research biologist, and Tiffany Wolf, a veterinarian, fitted a moose with a radio collar and took samples as part of a Minnesota study of why the animals die. Moose Die-Off Alarms ScientistsOCT. 14, 2013
In the 1980s, moose numbered about 4,000 in the northwest part of the state; today, there are about 100. In Northeast Minnesota, the population has dropped by half since 2006, to 4,300 from more than 8,800. In 2012, the decline was steep enough — 35 percent — that the state and local Chippewa tribes, which rely on moose meat for subsistence, called off the moose hunt. The mortality rate rebounded slightly this year, but moose continue to die at twice the normal rate to sustain a population. Researchers elsewhere, along the southern edge of moose territory in New Hampshire and Montana, are also beginning to notice declines in the animals’ numbers.
Seth Moore, a wildlife biologist in Grand Portage, theorizes that recent years of warmer, shorter winters and hotter, longer summers have resulted in a twofold problem. The changing climate has stressed out the moose, compromising their immune systems. And warmer temperatures have allowed populations of white-tailed deer, carriers of brain worm — which is fatal to moose — to thrive.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I suspect wolves. How has the wolf population done over the same period of Moose decline?
McD’s?
Boris Badinov!
The single, most perfect response!
Did he hunt Bulwinkle? The evil spy? LOL
I also read that the bears are death on newborn Moose.
Predators, disease, over hunting, poaching or any combination of these could cause the decline.......................
You get squirrel, Natasha, I get moose...................
Logical inquiries would shorten the study and hence the funding. Let's start with brain worms caused, indirectly by man made global warming.
Used to have moose on our farm to nibble on corn and grain, and a lot of pheasants.
Gone,, like yesterday’s flock of geese..
It’s global warming, yaknow.. And fracjking.
That is a caribou with Sarah.
Seth Moore, a wildlife biologist in Grand Portage, theorizes that recent years of warmer, shorter winters and hotter, longer summers have resulted in a twofold problem. The changing climate has stressed out the moose, compromising their immune systems. And warmer temperatures have allowed populations of white-tailed deer, carriers of brain worm — which is fatal to moose — to thrive.
Normally I have a negative gut reaction to anything the NY Times publishes. But I will say that for central Kentucky where I am at; the 2012-2013 winter was very mild. That DID have a relation to the Meningeal worm that I have to do monthly inoculations on my Alpacas for. The White tail deer do carry it and their droppings are eaten by snails that do travel into the pastures and are occasionally eaten by any grass eating animal.
Other parasites that were abnormally increased in population were nemotidirus and Strongyles including the Barber pole worm.
THIS year though the temperatures have been well below freezing for much of the winter and I expect to see a corresponding drop-off in parasitic infections because of that.
It’s simple: in Minnesota, if it moves it gets taxed. The moose are being taxed to death.
Moose tend to go through cycles in their population. The herd has a good breeding season and expands. Then things return to normal levels. Then the “baby boom” moose all get old at the same time. They develop arthritis and become easy prey for timberwolves, or die of natural causes.
Then another good breeding year comes along and the cycle repeats. Timberwolves are on an inverse cycle (in down years for old moose, they can’t find enough to eat).
Nature knows what it’s doing. Stay Calm and Watch the NatGeo Channel.
Squirrel? Is that you?
Of course, the NY Times posits:
Global warming cooling warming cooling changing.
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