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However, TWC continues to advocate for the preservation of the Tobeatic
Wilderness, and those areas of the Tobeatic excluded from the Parks and
Protected Areas Plans, Bill #24, An Act to Preserve Wilderness in NS. Perhaps our best
contributuion to the Moose Study is in our advocacy to preserve habitat for moose and other
species at risk.
TWC feels that the lost of habitat due to various cutting practices (including
clear cuts) immediately adjacent to the Tobeatic Wilderness should be factored into calculating
the stress on the moose population. TWC also believes that the increase of ATV access into
the Tobeatic Wilderness has a detrimental effect on the moose population, and increases the
opportunities for poaching.
Reports of poaching to the local authorities are seldom made due to a high level of intimidation.
Though hard evidence is difficult to find, TWC continues to hear "rumours" from time to time
regarding requests to fly the odd animal out of the Tobeatic.
In one recently documented case, a moose was shot in the Tobeatic Lake area. The incident was
reported to DNR authorities this past fall (2001).
20 member clubs of the Nova Scotia Federation of Anglers & Hunters have provided funding to the study as have Stora, Irving and Bowater. One Masters study now completed / published and another is nearing completion. The study has determined that there are very few calves making it to the end of summer (not able to determine numbers actually born), the "sickness" has been confirmed in the population and the cadmium level is very high in these animals as it is in moose elsewhere on the mainland. The first Masters study which involved doing a Moose Habitat Suitability Evaluation throughout mainland, concluded habitat most of western NS, and specifically the Tobeatic area, is considered very poor in quality for moose. The North American Moose Foundation is dedicated to promoting the species throughout North America; that includes the sub-species Alces alces americana of the northeast, Alces alces andersoni of Central and Western Canada, Alces alces shirasi of northwestern U.S. and Alces alces gigas of Yukon and Alaska.
Address:
Volunteer Board:
Copyright ©2001, North American Moose Foundation.
More than 120 years ago it was reported there were so moose running Nova scotia that even the most inept hunter could return from the woods with a trophy-sized rack for his wall. Today, while there is a healthy population of moose in Cape Breton, provincial biologists report the number on the mainland is inexplicably small. "There has been a complete ban on hunting moose in the western end of the province since 1937, but the numbers havy remained stable or even dropped a bit, says Tony Nette, the province's big- game specialist. "At one time they were the most abundant large animal in the province. Now there may be less than 1,000 on the mainland. "Finding the reason is the focus of a three-year, $100,000 study tracking moose in the remote and boggy Tobeatic area of southwestern Nova Scotia. In the winter of 1998, 11 moose in the area were located, sedated and outfitted with a collar tracking device. Every two weeks since then, Dennis Brennan, an Acadia University student, seeking a master's degree in science, has flown into the area and plotted the movement of the beasts. Mr. Nette said three of the 11 have died. Two could not be reached before the carcasses were stripped by predators, but the third and another dying adult cow that had to be put down were recovered and sent to Prince Edward Island for examination by experts at the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre. "There's been some strange deaths," Mr. Nette said in a weekend interview. "It also appears calf survival rates is a problem. We can only find one of the five calves that were originally located in 1998. " In years past, he said, rescerchers might have concluded the moose deaths were the result of brain worms, which are common in white-tailed deer but are always fatal if passed on to moose. Mr. Nette is not convinced that's the answer. There are few deer in the study that could pass on the worms and some of the symptoms he's seen don't fit the disease. While it may be more than a year before he start drawing definitive conclusions, Mr. Nette said it is possible the problem may be tied to acid rain. It would be a finding consistent with recent published research from Maine and Ontario. "Our fishery is hurting as a result acid acid rain.... Could it be impacting our moose in some way? It's something we have to look at seriously." So seriously, in fact, that tissue samples of the dead moose have been sent to a Swedish researcher who has done extensive work on the level of contaminants, heavy metals and trace minerals in moose. Until more information is.gathered, Mr. Nette said, the study will continue to look at tick infestation, predation by humans, and black bears, diet deficiency and habitat concerns as possible factors in the anemicnumbers. Barry Sabean, Director of Wildlife with the Department of Natural Resources, said the project has received financial support from big companies like Irving and Bowater Mersey, as well as from wildlife groups across the province. "It's gratifying to see wildlife groups willing to contribute, even though no one expects to see this result in a hunting season any time soon. They simply want to see the moose remain as part of the nrovtnce's biodiversity.
Moose mortality is being investigated as a part of an ongoing moose study initiated by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources. In 2000, this resulted in a detailed post mortem examination of twelve moose submitted to the Atlantic Veterinary College diagnostic laboratory. Emaciation or trauma was the cause of death in six of the animals. The remaining individuals were interesting in that they all exhibited neurological abnormalities prior to their death. The abnormalities ranged from aberrant behaviour such as loss of fear of humans and circling to locomotor difficulties such as incoordination and inability to rise due to paralysis of the hind legs. Parelaphostrongylus tenuis is potentially present on the range of these moose so it was strongly considered as a cause of their neurological problems. Focal eosinophilic inflammation compatible with aberrant migration of P. tenuis larvae was present in the brain and/or spinal cord of two of the moose, although the larvae themselves were not identified in either animal. The four remaining moose were found to be in very good body condition, and they also had brain lesions but the changes were not consistent with those of parelaphostrongylosis. In these cases, the inflammation was diffuse (i.e., found throughout all levels of the brain, spinal cord and meninges) rather than focal as would be expected with a parasitic tract. Also, the inflammation was nonsuppurative, consisting of plasma cells, lymphocytes and macrophages, with a complete absence of the eosinophils typically associated with a parasitic problem. The lesions were sufficient to have been related to the behavioural and physical changes observed in the moose but, unfortunately, their cause was not determined. These microscopic changes are most suggestive of an infectious process, and the mononuclear inflammation is consistent with a viral etiology. However, other pathogens (eg. protozoal organisms), nutritional diseases and toxicities are also being considered. Post mortem examinations of moose exhibiting neurological abnormalities will continue, but capturing one of the affected moose alive for monitoring in captivity is also a possibility. This would enable additional clinical diagnostic work to be performed as well as observation of the progression of the disease in an attempt to determine the cause of the problem.
The history of moose in Nova Scotia reveals a number of significant fluctuations in abundance that would be difficult to attribute to hunting as the main cause. On the mainland portion of the province, moose numbers are currently very low and apparently continuing to decline, in spite of full hunting closure in much of the area since 1937 and the remaining area since 1981. In addition to concerns related to land use practices and associated increased access, very high cadmium levels have been detected in these moose. Limited studies indicate adult mortality outweighs recruitment but the extent and significance of this problem are as yet undetermined. The moose population on Cape Breton Island was extirpated in the early 1900s and reintroduced with animals from Alberta in the late 1940s. The current herd of about 5000 - 6000 is mostly associated with the Cape Breton Highland. The herd has continued to increase in size while supporting an annual licensed hunt since 1986 and an increasing harvest by Native hunters during this period. However, a high incidence of broken incisor teeth, evidence of osteophagia, heavy browsing of preferred vegitation and very poor representation of older age animals in the population (8 years or older), together indicate the health of this herd is of concern. During years 2000-2001, a number of adult moose mortalities have been investigated with results indicating inflammation of the brain, spinal cord and meninges. These microscopic abnormalities are not consistent with lesions associated with the parasitic nematode parelaphostrongylosis. Additional adult moose mortalities have been reported in recent months... all exhibiting neurological abnormalities prior to their death. The cause of their "sickness" and death have yet to be determined. Though the number of confirmed cases of this as yet undefined neurological affliction are few, it has been documented in animals from various areas of mainland and Cape Breton Island. The investigation of this problem continues to be investigated with the involvement of the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre at University of Prince Edward Island. |