As a part-time resident of Maine, I can attest that seeing moose in the wild is a memorable experience. I’m fortunate that Maine boasts a healthy moose population. But in other parts of the U.S., sightings are becoming rare.
For some years now, moose have been dying off at alarming rates throughout North America. The numbers are shocking – in northeastern Minnesota, the moose population is dropping 25 percent each year. A hard-hit population in the state has dwindled to fewer than 100 animals, down from 4,000 in the 1990s.
While experts struggle to pinpoint exactly what has gone wrong, climate change seems to be a central factor – and it manifests in many ways.
In New Hampshire, shorter winters with less snow have led to a sharp increase in winter ticks. Moose lack the natural grooming behaviors of deer, and their bodies can be taken over by as many as 100,000 ticks. They become anemic from blood loss, and the itching causes them to tear off large patches of their fur, leaving them susceptible to hypothermia.
Moose are built for cold weather and prefer winter temperatures below 23 degrees. As winters have warmed, it takes more energy for moose to stay cool, which can lead to exhaustion and death.
Their plight has been highlighted by news stories of hungry and disoriented moose wandering into residential areas. In a tragically ironic incident in British Columbia, a starving moose wandered into a Safeway supermarket. That moose was later euthanized.
Unfortunately, this is just another example of the far-reaching effects of climate change and its ability to threaten some of our most beloved species.
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Web Links
Moose Die-Off Alarms Scientists
Thanks To Parasites, Moose Are Looking More Like Ghosts
http://www.npr.org/2013/11/05/241607259/thanks-to-parasites-moose-are-looking-more-like-ghosts
Moose die-off is massive, and a mystery to scientists (+video)
Photo, taken on November 17, 2010, courtesy of David Govatski and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio. Support for Earth Wise comes from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, NY.