Where Are the Moose?
All along our trip, we have seen signs to watch for moose. In fact, the moose signs may outnumber the moose! We began looking in Maine, which has an estimated 76,000 moose.
In New Hampshire, we discovered that the moose population is being decimated by, presumably ticks, which are hatching and surviving in ever greater numbers due to warmer weather. The picture from a recent article is too gross to publish here, but 150,000 ticks on a single moose is not uncommon. Over the last couple of years, the New Hampshire Moose population has gone from 4200 to 2700. They are losing about 25% a year and are desperate to find the cause and cure. The "Moose Watching" industry brings about $115 million to the state's economy per year, and that's rapidly disappearing as well.
For a lot of states, the moose population died out a long time ago due to hunting. However, many states have reintroduced small herds and they have been successful. Moose can multiple at a rapid rate if the conditions are right. Alaska has between 500,000-1,000,000 moose! The colder weather obviously has staved off any tick threat!
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan has only 433 moose, when they estimated they would have about 1,000 by the year 2000. No one knows why.
Minnesota, Montana, Wyoming, and a small part of North Dakota have moose populations that are both growing and affected by disease, whether it's ticks, fungus, parasites, or mosquito related problems. The reintroduction of wolves also has everyone worried.
What was surprising to me is that populations of Moose are growing in Oregon, Western Washington, and Idaho. While other populations are moving north because of climate change, these moose are moving west and south.
So where did we see this moose? In a meadow right outside of Coeur d'Alene Idaho. These western species are smaller than the New England or Alaska ones, but they are MOOSE nevertheless! And I was proud that I saw this cow and took the picture from a rapidly moving truck!
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