Mainland Moose Facts
- The moose on the mainland portion of Nova Scotia are our native moose, which have been here for over 10,000 years. Moose went extinct on Cape Breton in the 1940's, after which a small population of Alberta moose were brought over by train.
- A population estimate done by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources in 2003 found less than 1000 moose remain in mainland Nova Scotia. This classifies them as provincially endangered, and likely to go extinct if recovery measures are not undertaken.
- Moose need a diversity of habitats to survive. They need areas where they can browse on new vegetation, wetlands where they can eat nutrient-rich aquatic plants, and areas of dense forest cover where they can seek shelter from extreme temperatures. Human activities such as large-scale clearcutting and road building destroy or slice up the habitats moose need to visit throughout the year.
- A number of threats face mainland moose, including habitat loss and fragmentation, disease, and poaching. Addressing habitat issues in the Recovery Plan is especially important, as there is a great deal of research (including some conducted in Nova Scotia) that shows the negative impact of habitat loss and fragmentation on moose. A Recovery Plan that does not address habitat issues is not inadequate.
- The future of moose in mainland Nova Scotia affects all Nova Scotians. Moose are a symbol of wilderness, and the wild character of Nova Scotia is important to its residents, and visitors. Moose are an umbrella species – by protecting them, we protected a larger number of other interconnected species. Moose can also be an indicator of healthy forest ecosystems. Moose are also an animal of importance to our province's aboriginal people, the Mi’kmaq.
