Alces (A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose)
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DISTINGUISHED MOOSE BIOLOGIST - AWARD CRITERIA
Get PDFAn award was established by the North American Moose Conference and Workshop in 1981 to honour, and bring to the public's attention,the outstanding contribution of a particular individual, individuals, and/or organizations t omoose management. Guidelines for nominating individuals are described on this page
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT NOCTURNAL ACTIVITY OF MOOSE?
Get PDFStudy of activity and behavior of moose (Alces alces) has generally been undertaken during daylight hours because research at night is logistically complicated. However, some believe that moose are as or more active at night than day, thus, the amount and content of research about moose activity could be considered diurnally-biased. We conducted a review of the literature to determine what is known regarding nocturnal activity of moose and found that only 2.2% of all articles published about moose activity and behavior refer to nocturnal activity. Studies designed specifically to document nocturnal activity were mostly related to moose-vehicle collisions and use of mineral licks. Recent and increased use of GPS radio-collars will provide more and easier opportunities to distinguish and analyze diurnal and nocturnal activity of moose. Such information is important to understand better a variety of aspects of moose behavior and activity including predator-prey interactions, influence of human disturbances, relationships among habitat use, thermal stress, and climate change
USING GIS TO MODIFY A STRATIFIED RANDOM BLOCK SURVEY DESIGN FOR MOOSE
Get PDFWe modified the standard, stratified random block design used typically in aerial surveys of moose (Alces alces). We laid a grid of approximately 9 km2 cells over our study area, and GIS was then used to allocate polygons into one of 2 strata within each grid cell. The 2 strata were based upon vegetation attributes that were predicted to have either high or low moose density from previous research. We assumed that polygons of early seral forest stands (<40 yr), shrubs, and meadows would have high moose density relative to other vegetation attributes. Vegetation polygons were often <1 km2, consequently, single grid cells usually included >1 high and low density polygons. Adjacent cells were amalgamated to produce sample units with >4 km2 of high density stratum area. Real-time navigation was used and the flight track was recorded over a map of sample units, strata boundaries, and topographic features to accurately identify polygon boundaries and assign each sighted moose to the appropriate strata. We concluded that our approach was efficient and effective in fine-grained environments where the relative selection by moose for vegetation patches is well understood, and those patches are mapped in digital databases
RECOVERY OF LOW BULL:COW RATIOS OF MOOSE IN INTERIOR ALASKA
Get PDFDuring 1996–1999, hunters killed an estimated 24–30% of the pre-hunt bull moose (Alces alces) in Game Management Unit 20A. As a result, the 1999 post-hunt bull:cow ratios declined to 24:100, well below the management objective of 30:100. During 2000 and 2001 we shortened the hunting season from 25 to 20 days to reduce the harvest of bull moose, but kill rates of bulls remained high (23–27%) and ratios remained unacceptably low (22–26 bulls:100 cows). Subsequently, to recover bull:cow ratios to 30:100, hunters were restricted unit-wide to taking bulls with 1) spike-fork antlers, 2) antlers ≥50 inches wide, or 3) ≥3 brow tines on ≥1 antler. These restrictions were in place from 2002-2007, but results occurred rapidly. After only 2 years of antler restrictions, hunters killed an average of 36% fewer bulls compared with the previous 2-year average harvest rate (x= 715 during 2000–2001 and 455 during 2002–2003). Comparing these same 2-year periods, average kill rates of bulls declined from 25% to 12% of the pre-hunt bull population, average number of hunters declined 24% (1,568 to 1,187), and the average hunter success rate declined from 34% to 29%. Bull:cow ratios increased from 26:100 to 32:100 after 2 years of antler restrictions. With an additional 2 years (2004–2005) of antler restrictions and high harvest of cow moose, bull:cow ratios reached 38:100. Modeling indicated that the bull:cow ratio would have stabilized at 33:100 without the high harvest of cows. The recovery of bull:cow ratios to our objective of 30:100 with 2 years of antler restrictions allowed 1) bull seasons to be lengthened from 20 to 25 days beginning in 2004 and, 2) a limited number of drawing permits for any bull during 2006–2007. Elsewhere, similar selective harvest strategies should also allow recovery of bull:cow ratios, unless the total kill rate of bulls is higher than estimated here
DIFFERENTIAL HABITAT SELECTION BY MOOSE AND ELK IN THE BESA-PROPHET AREA OF NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA
Get PDFElk (Cervus elaphus) populations are increasing in the Besa-Prophet area of northern British Columbia, coinciding with the use of prescribed burns to increase quality of habitat for ungulates. Moose (Alces alces) and elk are now the 2 large-biomass species in this multi-ungulate, multi-predator system. Using global positioning satellite (GPS) collars on 14 female moose and 13 female elk, remote-sensing imagery of vegetation, and assessments of predation risk for wolves (Canis lupus) and grizzly bears (Ursus arctos), we examined habitat use and selection. Seasonal ranges were typicallysmallest for moose during calving and for elk during winter and late winter. Both species used largest ranges in summer. Moose and elk moved to lower elevations from winter to late winter, but subsequent calving strategies differed. During calving, moose moved to lowest elevations of the year, whereas elk moved back to higher elevations. Moose generally selected for mid-elevations and against steep slopes; for Stunted spruce habitat in late winter; for Pine-spruce in summer; and for Subalpine during fall and winter. Most recorded moose locations were in Pine-spruce during late winter, calving, and summer, and in Subalpine during fall and winter. Elk selected for mid-elevations except in summer and for steep slopes in late winter. Use and selection of 3 habitat classes were prominent for elk: Deciduous and Elymus burns, and Subalpine. Highest overlap between moose and elk occurred during fall and winter when both species used and strongly selected for Subalpine habitat. Neither elk nor moose selected areas to minimize the risk of wolf predation, but elk selected areas with lower risk of predation by grizzly bears and higher vegetation quality during calving and summer
ARE MOOSE ONLY A LARGE DEER?: SOME LIFE HISTORY CONSIDERATIONS
No full textBody mass generally accounts for a large part of variation in life history traits of ungulates. However, phylogeny and ecological features such as habitat or diet have been shown to cause differences in life history patterns among species of similar size. To assess the factors that shape life history traits of moose (Alces alces), the largest deer (Cervidae) species, I fitted allometric relationships among ungulate species for a set of life history traits. I compared moose life history traits first with both traits expected from allometric equations and traits of similar-sized bovids. Both kinds of analyses led to the same results. While moose calves grow as expected from the size of their mothers, they start life at only about half the expected size. Moose populations have higher growth rates and shorter generation times as compared to similar-sized ungulates. Females reproduce earlier and have larger litters relative to their body size. The resulting faster than expected life cycle for moose cannot be accounted for by changes in survival patterns: moose closely fit the general pattern of ungulate population dynamics characterized by a low and variable juvenile survival as opposed to a high and constant survival of prime-age females. High reproductive output accounts for the fast life cycle of moose populations compared to other similar-sized ungulates. I propose that the high reproductive output has evolved in response to the unpredictable environmental conditions of early successional habitats preferred by moose. The evolutionary strategy of moose appears more similar to that of a very large roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) than that associated with larger deer in general
MOOSE ON CAPE BRETON ISLAND, NOVA SCOTIA: 20TH CENTURY DEMOGRAPHICS AND EMERGING ISSUES IN THE 21ST CENTURY
No full textPresumed extirpated in the early 1900s, moose were re-introduced to Cape Breton Island by the federal Park Service in the late 1940s. After 25 years of gradual growth the population expanded rapidly following a spruce budworm outbreak in the mid- to late-1970s, yielding a large huntable population by the mid-1980s. Continued growth of the herd has presented a number of management challenges and opportunities to the Province of Nova Scotia, the local First Nations, and Parks Canada, each seeking to maintain sustainable moose numbers from different perspectives. Presented here is a history of population growth and exploitation of moose on Cape Breton in the latter 20th Century, the evolution of cooperative management of the herd, and emerging management issues
METABOLIC IMPACTS OF WINTER TICK INFESTATIONS ON CALF MOOSE
No full textMoose (Alces alces) are susceptible to late winter mortality from infestation of winter ticks (Dermacentor albipictus) throughout much of North America. Calves, perhaps more so than other ages of moose, likely experience chronic, and eventually acute anemia from blood removal by adult female ticks that peaks during weeks 4 – 6 of the 8-week engorgement period. We modeled the potential metabolic impact on protein and energy balance of moose calves associated with blood loss during four levels, low to severe, of winter tick infestation. Our conservative estimates indicated that total blood loss in weeks 4 – 6, as a percent of total blood volume, ranged from 27 to 48% and 64 to 112% during moderate (30,000 ticks) and severe (70,000 ticks) infestations, respectively. The percent of the daily metabolizable energy requirement needed to replace daily blood loss during weeks 4 – 6 was 4.9 – 8.2% and 11.4 – 19.2% during moderate and severe infestations, respectively. The protein deficit associated with blood loss and regeneration was the most critical metabolic impact. Daily protein loss during weeks 4 – 6 was 29 – 49% and 68 – 114% of the daily protein requirement in moderate and severe infestations, respectively. Daily protein losses of ~ 30 to > 100%occurred for 2 continuous weeks. Energy costs associated with compensating for blood loss would likely elevate the daily energy deficit normal at end of winter, accelerate nutritional decline and weight loss, and cause increased physiological stress related to concurrent anemia. Severely infested calves are obviously susceptible to late winter mortality, and the impact of moderate infestations would be exacerbated by secondary parasitic infestations, severe winters, and poor body condition
DIAGNOSING PARELAPHOSTRONGYLOSIS IN MOOSE (ALCES ALCES)
No full textThirty-six moose (Alces alces) reported as acting abnormally were examined in northwestern Ontario and adjacent northeastern Minnesota in 1986 – 2000. Thirty-four typically had little fear of humans, remained in an area for some time, and showed clinical signs of neuromotor incoordination including walking in circles, showing weakness and difficulty in rising, head tilted to one side, or standing with legs positioned wide apart. A definitive diagnosis of parelaphostrongylosis was confirmed in 15 (44%) of these by finding small numbers (2.5 ± 0.6; 1 – 9) of adult meningeal worms, Parelaphostrongylus tenuis, within the cranium; the meninges of 12, (excluding 3 unsuitable for examination), were cloudy in appearance. An additional 5 clinically abnormal animals had no visible P. tenuis but presented with cloudy inflammation of the meninges. No evidence of infection other than typical neurological signs was found in 14 more, but examination was impossible or incomplete for 9 of these. One, however, had P. tenuis-like, dorsal-spined larvae in its feces and another tested positive for P. tenuis using the newly developed serological test (ELISA). Female animals predominated in the sample (21/34) and 10 were judged underweight. The remaining 2 moose in the sample, although aggressive towards humans, had no worms visible in the cranium and neither showed neuromotor signs or cloudy meninges; 1 tested using the ELISA was negative for P. tenuis. Moose with adult P. tenuis in the cranium were younger (1.8 ± 0.5 yr) than those abnormal animals without worms (5.2 ± 1.2 yr) (U = 20, P = 0.006). Five of 15 moose with adult worms in the cranium were passing small numbers of dorsal-spined larvae in their feces (0.1 – 2.8 larvae/gm). Sixy-five percent of animals exhibiting typical neuromotor clinical signs of moose sickness showed post-mortem evidence of parelaphostrongylosis. The diagnostic reliability of clinical signs would have been further increased by wider use of the P. tenuis ELISA. This is a convenient, commercially available test and potentially a valuable tool for investigating the level of P. tenuis exposure experienced by moose populations sharing range with infected white-tailed deer