Moose Recovery Plan
A Moose Recovery Plan was released by the Province in March 2007. However, this plan is weak and does not propose substantial measures to bring back our native moose population from the brink of extinction. Specifically, the recovery plan has 3 major shortcomings:
1. No core habitat areas were suggested. As a minimum, areas to be considered for core habitat designation are required under the Endangered Species Act (Section 15(4)(h)), and this element is completely absent from the plan. This and several other legally required elements are missing from the plan.
2. The goal of the recovery plan is to "maintain" the current population of mainland moose. This was supposed to be a recovery plan. Why maintain an endangered population at dangerously low levels?
3. Failure to address two of the main threats to mainland moose: habitat loss and habitat fragmentation. There is direct loss of moose habitat due to clear-cutting, development, and land conversion, as well as habitat fragmentation and degradation at multiple scales. Habitat issues are identified in the 2003 mainland moose status report as some of the main threats to the population. These major threats should have been discussed and addressed, with meaningful mitigation measures proposed.