Alces (A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose)
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A CHOICE MODELLING APPROACH TO MOOSE MANAGEMENT: A CASE STUDY OF THUNDER BAY MOOSE HUNTERS
No full textWe demonstrate the application of one type of model available for managers to better understand the people side of resource management. This choice modelling approach allows us to study issues such as the hunting site choices of moose hunters. To showcase the approach, we use a case study based on predicting the site choices of resident moose (Alces alces) hunters from the Thunder Bay area. Our case study shows that resident moose hunters of Thunder Bay prefer short travel distances, few encounters with other hunters, areas with better vehicular accessibility, more moose, more water, and shorter regenerating vegetation in harvested areas. We demonstrate the practical applicability of the model by examining a hypothetical scenario involving the issue of hunting site closures in areas with new forest cutovers. The results of this hypothetical scenario demonstrate that one can use the model to: (1) predict changes to moose hunting effort associated with a site restriction; and (2) estimate the economic losses that would arise to hunters from this restriction. A manager should seek both of these pieces of information before implementing a change such as a site restriction
LARGE CARNIVORES, MOOSE, AND HUMANS: A CHANGING PARADIGM OF PREDATOR MANAGEMENT IN THE 21st CENTURY
No full textWe compare and contrast the evolution of human attitudes toward large carnivores between Europe and North America. In general, persecution of large carnivores began much earlier in Europe than North America. Likewise, conservation programs directed at restoration and recovery appeared in European history well before they did in North America. Together, the pattern suggests there has been an evolution in how humans perceive large predators. Our early ancestors were physically vulnerable to large carnivores and developed corresponding attitudes of respect, avoidance, and acceptance. As civilization evolved and man developed weapons, the balance shifted. Early civilizations, in particular those with pastoral ways, attempted to eliminate large carnivores as threats to life and property. Brown bears (Ursus arctos) and wolves (Canis lupus) were consequently extirpated from much of their range in Europe and in North America south of Canada. Efforts to protect brown bears began in the late 1880s in some European countries and population reintroductions and augmentations are ongoing. They are less controversial than in North America. On the other hand, there are no wolf introductions, as has occurred in North America, and Europeans have a more negative attitude towards wolves. Control of predators to enhance ungulate harvest varies. In Western Europe, landowners own the hunting rights to ungulates. In the formerly communistic Eastern European countries and North America, hunting rights are held in common, although this is changing in some Eastern European countries. Wolf control to increase harvests of moose (Alces alces) occurs in parts of North America and Russia; bear control for similar reasons only occurs in parts of North America. Surprisingly, bears and wolves are not controlled to increase ungulates where private landowners have the hunting rights in Europe, although wolves were originally exterminated from these areas. Both the inability of scientific research to adequately predict the effect of predator control on ungulate populations and a shift in public attitudes toward large carnivores have resulted in an accelerating number of challenges to predator management in places where it is still espoused. Utilitarian attitudes towards wildlife are declining in Western cultures and people now increasingly recognize the intrinsic value of wildlife, including large predators. In the future, agencies responsible for managing resident wildlife will face increased pressure to balance the needs of the hunting public with the desires of non-hunting publics. We suggest that in the next century we will witness a continued shift in how wildlife agencies manage both moose and large carnivores. More attention will be paid to maintaining and restoring intact ecosystems and less toward sustainable yield of meat
MONITORING OF MOOSE-FOREST INTERACTIONS IN ESTONIA AS A TOOL FOR GAME MANAGEMENT DECISIONS
No full textThis paper reviews several big fluctuations in moose (Alces alces) numbers and related problems in Estonia during the last century. The biggest conflict appeared during the period 1960 – 1980, when the moose population achieved its highest density. The result of the overpopulation of moose was extensive forest damage. The establishment of a monitoring system and its acceptance by game management authorities at the beginning of the 1990s contributed to the improvement of the situation. The monitoring includes both the estimation of moose population parameters and estimation of moose influence on forest regeneration. Current moose numbers match the optimal population level outlined in the Estonian Environmental Strategy, approximately 10,000 animals, and forest damage has decreased
MOOSE RESPONSES TO WILDLIFE VIEWING AND TRAFFIC STIMULI
No full textWe examined behavioral response of moose to wildlife viewers and traffic stimuli at a moose viewing blind located on a roadside salt lick in northern New Hampshire during summer, 1997-1999. Feeding, fleeing, alertness, looking, grooming, and moving were measured relative to a standard viewer and a variety of stimuli associated with viewers and traffic. In general, moose were reasonably tolerant of most stimuli as moose never fled the lick > 15% of the time. Educational material likely influenced viewer behavior. Stimuli that caused a reduction in feeding and increased fleeing were loud viewers, cars stopped, and trucks passing, as well as combinations of stimuli including these factors. Viewing satisfaction and impacts can be addressed by considering these findings at moose viewing sites
FACTORS AFFECTING DETECTABILITY OF MOOSE ALCES ALCES DURING THE HUNTING SEASON IN NORTHERN NORWAY
No full textThe use of hunter observations of moose (Alces alces) to index variation in population size and structure is based on the assumption that there is a monotonic relationship between moose seen per hunter-day and population size of moose. For this relationship to also be proportional, the probability of detecting a given moose should increase proportionally with the number of hunters and days hunting; i.e., a doubling of the number of hunter-days should double the probability of detecting a moose. Moreover, to obtain a precise index, the index should be independent of moose reproductive status, date of hunting season, weather conditions, and hunting area. We examined the influence of these factors on the probability of detecting individually radio-collared moose in a population in northern Norway. Our results support a proportional relationship between the number of moose seen and the number of hunters observing them. Moreover, we found no difference in observation rate among female moose in relation to the number of calves following them. However, large variation existed in the proportion of possible moose observed by different hunting teams. This can result in varying observation rates between years in situations where large annual variation exists in the number of days hunted by each hunting team. We therefore recommend that the pooling of observation data should be performed over a more carefully selected period of the hunting season (e.g., the first hunting week) rather than over the whole hunting season
MOOSE-VEGETATION-SOIL INTERACTIONS: A DYNAMIC SYSTEM
No full textWe review the processes by which moose (Alces alces) interact with vegetation at the module (leaf and shoot) and genet (individual plant) levels of organization, and show the consequences of these interactions for plant population, community, ecosystem, and landscape dynamics. Moose forage selectively on photosynthetic and meristematic tissues of a few preferred species. These species respond with compensatory growth and often tissues of higher forage quality, leading to a positive feedback at the module and genet level. However, height growth of browsed genets is often reduced or even curtailed by browsing, leading to higher levels of mortality and eventual replacement of browsed species by unbrowsed ones. These unbrowsed species (predominantly conifers) grow more slowly and have litter of low nutrient content that decomposes slowly. Consequently, even though moose browsing stimulates growth and browse availability at module and genet levels, ecosystem productivity and nitrogen cycling decline. Such feedbacks eventually lead to spatial patterns in the landscape. Genotypic and phenotypic differences within forage species modify these responses somewhat, and plant responses to moose browsing all differ somewhat along productivity gradients. Other herbivores, notably invertebrates, are also affected by these changes in vegetation. We conclude by suggesting some unanswered questions and new directions for future research
MOOSE IN MODERN INTEGRATED ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT – HOW SHOULD THE MALAWI PRINCIPLES BE ADAPTED?
No full textUnder the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity, a special emphasis has been put on an integrated ecosystem approach. Some of the “Malawi principles” state that management objectives are a matter of societal choice, and that management should be decentralized to the lowest appropriate level. A key feature of the ecosystem approach includes conservation of ecosystem structure and function on a long term basis, while seeking an appropriate balance between conservation and use of biodiversity. The role of moose in the ecosystem and how the Malawi principles can be adopted in moose management were a focus of the 5th International Moose Symposium. All invited speakers and session chairs were asked to provide a brief summary of how they considered the Malawi principles to relate to the topic of their respective papers or sessions at the Symposium. Those summaries are given in this paper
STATUS OF MOOSE POPULATIONS AND CHALLENGES TO MOOSE MANAGEMENT IN FENNOSCANDIA
No full textIn the Fennoscandian countries, Norway, Sweden, and Finland, moose (Alces alces) populations began to increase rapidly in the 1960s and have since then been among the most productive and heavily harvested moose populations in the world. At the start of the 20th century, the total annual harvest was < 10,000 moose, whereas in 2000, the annual kill reached about 200,000. The winter population was estimated to be about 500,000. In Sweden and Finland, the highest harvest numbers (and presumably population density) were recorded in the first half of the 1980s and in Finland again in the late 1990s and during the beginning of the 2000s. In Norway, the 1990s was the decade of the highest harvest numbers. The current regional moose density during winter varies from < 0.2 to about 2 moose/km2 within Fennoscandia. Locally, the density may far exceed this level in typical wintering areas (e.g., 5-6 moose/km2). In general, the current densities are lower in the north than in the south and higher in Norway and Sweden than in Finland. The strong increase in harvest and the present high densities are explained by several factors. First, modern forestry clear-cutting practices have provided Fennoscandian moose with prime habitats in the form of early succession stages. Accordingly, the current carrying capacity is likely to be relatively high compared to the situation 50-100 years ago. The current trend, however, is towards less activity in the forest and a decreasing proportion of forests found at an early successional stage. This may increase the food limitation already seen in several populations; i.e., in all three countries, body mass and recruitment rates have been found to decrease with increasing density. Second, the introduction of sex and age-specific harvesting in the early 1970s has increased the general productivity of the populations. By focusing the harvest on calves, yearlings, and adult males, the proportion of productive females, the mean age of females, and the annual recruitment rate have increased. Simultaneously, the proportion and mean age of males have decreased, and in some populations, this has been associated with delayed parturition dates and lower fecundity; i.e., due to inadequate number of males for timely reproduction. Third, mortality other than hunting is low, and only near the eastern border of Finland with Russia has predation by wolves and bears had a notable effect on productivity figures. This situation is about to change with increasing populations of large carnivores in all of Fennoscandia during the 1990s. The management principles have been quite similar within Fennoscandia, although differences in legislation have resulted in national and regional differences in management performance. In general, moose managers take advantage of data collected by hunters during the hunting season (e.g., hunting statistics, number, sex, and age of moose observed) to monitor population development and determine hunting quotas. Moreover, in all three countries, the issues of traffic accidents and damage to forestry and agriculture play a central role in moose management and discussions concerning optimum population sizes
WOLF PREDATION ON MOOSE - A CASE STUDY USING HUNTER OBSERVATIONS
No full textWe studied predation by colonizing wolves on a high density and highly productive moose (Alces alces) population in south-eastern Norway (about 1.5 moose and 0.01 wolves per km2 in winter). As indices to population changes, we used hunter observations. Over the summer, the wolf pack utilized about one tenth of their total territory (530 km2), with the den area as the centre of activity. Of the main prey taken (moose, roe deer, and beaver), moose calves contributed 61% of the biomass ingested by wolves in summer. Hunting statistics and hunters’ observations of moose showed no changes for the territory as a whole after wolves settled there in 1998. However, in the den areas (60 - 80 km2) the number of calves per cow and the total number of moose seen per hunter-day significantly decreased during the year of wolf reproduction. The following year, though, both indices increased again. We speculate that some of the lack of overall effects might be due to increased fecundity in cows that lost their calf. As the wolves changed their den from year to year, den areas were spatially spread over time. The pressure from wolf predation will differ between cohorts in the same area, and landowners should adjust their hunting quotas accordingly
DOES RECTAL PALPATION OF PREGNANT MOOSE COWS AFFECT PRE- AND NEO-NATAL MORTALITY OF THEIR CALVES?
No full textChemical immobilization and handling of animals may increase the risk of mortality and reduce reproductive output and survival of offspring born to immobilized mothers. We examined to what extent winter chemical immobilization using etorphine and subsequent handling affected the immediate risk of mortality and subsequent calving success and early calf mortality in a Norwegian moose population. Following 227 immobilizations of 136 different moose, we experienced no mortality during the capture process or any mortality in the 6 weeks following immobilization. Similarly, there were no significant differences in calving success (presence or absence of calf or calves) or summer mortality (birth – mid-September) of calves from cows drugged the preceding winter versus undrugged cows. However, splitting the material into age groups, we found significantly lower calving success among drugged cows aged 6-15-years compared to un-drugged cows of the same age group, and higher mortality of calves born to 4-year-old drugged cows compared to those from 4-year-old un-drugged cows. Cows that were rectally palpated for pregnancy determination had a higher fetal and calf loss than those that were not rectally palpated. This led us to conclude that rectal palpation, and not the immobilization process per se, was the most likely cause of reduced calving success and calf survival. The presence of a palpation effect may have been influenced by increased stress involved with the weighing process to obtain body mass, but nearly all cows were weighed after immobilization, so we were unable to determine the separate effect of this procedure