Alces (A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose)
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MOOSE CONSERVATION IN ECOSYSTEMS OF EASTERN EUROPE
No full textFactors contributing to the great declines of moose from 1800 to the 1850’s and in the 1920’s and 30’s as well as what happened to restore moose populations throughout historic ranges in Eastern Europe are evaluated. Parameters are suggested for evaluating moose populations in the 21st century as well as ideas for moose management and sustainable use
MOOSE AND ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY - DOES THE KING HAVE A PLACE? A CANADIAN PERSPECTIVE
No full textCanada's provincial, federal, and territorial governments committed to a Canadian Biodiversity Strategy in 1995 for the conservation and sustainable use of Canada’s biodiversity. Contemporary demands on natural resources and the move to ecosystem based management dictated a different approach to resource management then was traditionally the case. Public awareness of biological diversity and understanding of the need for conservation dictated the new approach. Ecosystem management means using an ecological approach to achieve forest management by blending the needs of society with environmental values in such a way that ecosystems remain diverse, healthy, productive, and sustainable. Canada was mapped into ecozones and ecoregions, which are a unique combination of landscape, physiography, and climate. Use of these widely accepted categories facilitates interjurisdictional co-operation. There is increasing evidence that moose play a fundamental role in structure and function of boreal forests. Management guidelines for moose habitat favour wildlife species which use edge and early successional habitats. In Manitoba, use of 5 forest types by 257 wildlife species suggested that managing for moose habitat will accommodate the habitat needs for 62% of other boreal wildlife species. This reinforces findings elsewhere that moose are an important indicator species and have a major role to play in forest management and conservation of biodiversity
EVIDENCE OF EXPOSURE TO BRUCELLA SUIS BIOVAR 4 IN NORTHERN ALASKA MOOSE
No full textHistorically, some moose (Alces alces) of northern Alaska have been tested for serologic evidence of exposure to viral and bacterial diseases. Recently, in response to poor recruitment and declining numbers of moose along the Colville River and associated drainages on the North Slope of Alaska (near Umiat), 42 cows and 5 bulls were serologically tested for Brucella spp. Surprisingly, 8 (19%) cows had antibody titers >400 to Brucella spp. No bulls tested positive. This antibody prevalence is higher than in published reports. Western blot analysis indicated antibody is specific to Brucella suis biovar. Three of 94 nulls (3%) and 1 of 69 cows (2%) sampled during 1992-97 in the Noatak River drainage had titers >100 (4 of 163 or 2%). The 12 positive moose detected since 1992 had relatively high titers. No significant antibody titers to Brucella spp. were detected in moose from the Seward Peninsula (34 cows), Selawik River (46 cows, 46 bulls) or the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (38 cows, 14 bulls). Blood samples taken in 1996 from the Colville River moose were not optimal for recovery of viable bacteria and culture for Brucella organisms was unsuccessful
STATUS OF MOOSE IN THE CONTIGUOUS UNITED STATES
No full textMoose have expanded their range in the northern tier of the United States and along the Rocky Mountains in Utah and Wyoming over the past several decades. The expansion has been occurring since the 1940’s, but has apparently accelerated in recent decades. Introductions in Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, and Utah have been successful as well. Reasons for the expansion include habitat change favoring moose and reduction in exploitation. Uncontrolled exploitation, including harvest by Native Americans, poaching, and unintended take as through vehicle accidents may limit populations in some areas. Records on population size and harvest are provided for the states that monitor and hunt this species
COMPENSATORY RESPONSE TO CHANGES IN CALF SURVIVORSHIP: MANAGEMENT CONSEQUENCES OF A REPRODUCTIVE COST IN MOOSE
No full textLife history tradeoffs are a well-documented feature in many large mammal species but the management consequences of such tradeoffs are not explored. A cost to present reproduction, in terms of future reproductive success, for females moose was implied in recent work by Testa and Adams (unpubl.). In that paper, rump fat thickness differed in moose with and without a calf at heel in autumn, and was correlated in logistic regression models to subsequent calving. This suggests an energetic link that results in lower reproductive success for female moose in years after successfully rearing a calf to autumn. In the present paper, a model of their results linking present and future success through rump fat changes was favorably compared to a second sample of female moose for which reproductive histories in successive years was known. This individual cost of reproduction in moose may play a role in populations having high and variable rates of additive perinatal mortality due to predation. The cost for individual moose of having and rearing a calf to autumn was estimated, and incorporated into a population model in which perinatal mortality was manipulated to simulate managed reduction of predation rates on neonates. The expectation was that the tradeoff between current and future reproductive success in individuals could reduce the harvest benefits expected from reducing calf mortality. The estimated cost of successfully rearing a calf to the fall in this study was a 44% reduction in fecundity, which led to modeled reductions of 10-13% in the gains expected from better calf survival. This effect could be greater in years of unusually low reproduction, or after an increase in population density
EFFECTS OF WINTER TICK (DERMACENTOR ALBIPICTUS) ON BLOOD CHARACTERISTICS OF CAPTIVE MOOSE (ALCES ALCES)
No full textEighteen moose calves were raised in captivity. Seven and 6 moose were infested with approximately 21,000 and 42,000 larval winter ticks (Dermacentor albipictus), respectively. Five moose were uninfested controls. Blood was collected between October 1982 and April 1983 analyzed for 17 hematologic and biochemical parameters. Tick infestation level (0, 21,000, and 42,000 ticks) and tick activity (inactive versus active) produced different patterns of response in packed cell volume, gamma-globulin, and lactate dehydrogenase. Although there was significant variation in these blood parameters in relation to level of tick infestation and activity of ticks, the magnitude of the tick effects was small. Sex of moose did not affect these 3 blood parameters. Packed cell volume, hemoglobin, red blood cell counts, and serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase values from calves in this study were much lower than values reported previously for North American cervids. Although there was limited impact of ticks of hematologic and biochemical parameters of well fed captive moose, it may be important to consider infestation with winter ticks when using blood parameters to assess nutritive condition of wild moose
CHARACTERISTICS OF CUTOVERS USED BY MOOSE (ALCES ALCES) IN EARLY WINTER
No full textWe determined the characteristics of cutovers used by moose in January-February to identify the minimum conditions required for maintaining an acceptable winter habitat for moose after cutting. We considered three types of cutovers: (1) recent cuts (2-3 years) with protection of the advanced natural regeneration (CPR) carried out in coniferous stands; (2) recent CPRs done in mixed stands; and (3) 7- to 11-year-old clearcuts without protection or regeneration. Moose were more selective in CPRs carried out in coniferous stands as compared to the two other types of cutting, suggesting that only some parts of this habitat were suitable. There, moose selected sites supporting more abundance deciduous browse and where mean height of regeneration and lateral cover were higher than those found in control sites. To keep moose in clearcut areas, we suggest maintaining in cutovers a minimum browse density of 10,000 to 15,000 stems/ha. The residual cover should be approximately 2.5 m high, and the lateral cover should reach about 50 % at 15 m. These minimum criteria were met in CPRs carried out in mixed stands and in 7- to 11-year-old cuts. Besides moose, other species living in young forests should benefit from such an improvement
SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL CORRELATES TO NORWEGIAN MOOSE-TRAIN COLLISIONS
No full textWe have analyzed how temporal variation (i.e., climatic factors and moose (Alces alces) population density) and spatial variation (i.e., landscape pattern and food availability) correlate with moose - train collisions along the railway running through Østerdalen valley in SE Norway. A total of 1,177 train kills were registered from July 1985 to March 1997. The number of collisions increased with increasing snow depth and colder ambient temperature, and were located with the outlets of side valleys. The duration of a collision. Lasting from when snow depth exceeded 30 cm until the temperature stabilized above 0℃ explained 82% of the yearly variation in moose - train collisions. Changes in the food availability, due to logging, increased the number of moose collisions considerably in local areas. We conclude that seasonal migrations are the main cause of moose - train collisions in Østerdalen
A BAYESIAN APPROACH TO MOOSE POPULATION ASSESSMENT AND HARVEST DECISION
No full textAssessments of ungulate populations need to be expressed in probabilistic terms to convey uncertainty about key parameters and the consequences or “risks” of alternative policies for harvest. The use of Bayesian estimation and risk assessment is described and applied to a declining moose (Alces alces) population in north-eastern British Columbia. A simple balance model was used to calculate posterior distributions of probability for population size of adults at the start of the assessment period and recruitment rate of calves. Model inputs included two mid-winter surveys of absolute abundance, a herd-composition survey and a harvest/effort index for adult bull moose. Calf recruitment was positively density dependent at moderate to high densities of moose. Probability distributions were estimated for moose population size in 1988 (95% CI’s: 7,655 - 10,550) and 1995 (95% CI’s: 3,805 - 5,980). Risk functions were used to determine the probability of obtaining various adult sex ratios after 3 years of additional bull harvest. Some of the limitations of the moose assessment were that not all of the model parameters were treated as uncertain, that deterministic assumptions about population dynamics were used, and that the behaviour of this predator-ungulate system at low densities of moose was poorly understood. This can bias the degree of certainty in estimates of parameters and risk associated with various harvest policies
DISEASE AND GENETICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF FENNOSCANDIAN CERVIDS - A REVIEW
No full textFennoscandia (Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark) is inhabited by many wild and/or semi-domesticated populations of cervids: moose (Alces alces), red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), fallow deer (Dama dama), and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). Cervids, especially moose, roe deer and reindeer, are an important natural resource of considerable economic value for tourism, hunting, and animal husbandry. Severe contagious livestock diseases have not been present in the cervids. Today however, increased trade of domestic and wild animals has led to an obvious risk of foreign diseases entering Fennoscandia. Routine investigations of wildlife diseases date from the beginning of the present century in Fennoscandia. Besides these studies, research projects today are specifically concerned with investigating wildlife diseases. In this paper we: (1) give an overview of past and present investigations of diseases of cervids in Fennoscandia; (2) summarize the development of disease management from past to present; and (3) describe a direction for future research in Fennoscandia with respect to the dynamic problems associated with disease management of wild cervids beginning to arise in a rapidly changing Europe