New study sheds light on relationship between wolves and moose population

Thomas D'Arcy McGee

Thomas D'Arcy McGee

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A study behind the relationship between wolves and moose showed that as the population of wolves in the area went up, the number of moose declined. (David Mech / Researcher)

New study sheds light on relationship between wolves and moose population

As the population of wolves in the area goes up, the number of moose goes down

CBC News Posted: Feb 25, 2018 8:00 AM ET| Last Updated: Feb 25, 2018 8:00 AM ET

The mystery behind Minnesota and northwestern Ontario's diminishing moose population has been an ongoing discussion for the last two decades.

In January a research scientist with the U.S. Geologic Survey, David Mech, published a paper online in the Wildlife Society Bulletin on his study examining the interaction and relationship between wolves and moose calves.

As the population of wolves in the area goes up Mech said he noticed that the number of moose goes down.

"We looked at the relationship between wolf numbers ... in a given year ... and the number of moose that year and the following year [to] try and see if there was some relationship between those numbers," Mech told CBC Thunder Bay's outdoor columnist Gord Ellis.

Based on those numbers, Mech said he was able to discover "some evidence that wolves are having [an] influence on the moose population."

Older moose more vulnerable than moose calves

By radio collaring wolves every summer, Mech said he and his team of scientists were able to count and track the animals from the air, while the moose are counted by the Minnesota DNR each winter.

He said while the wolves take both the older and younger moose, he noticed that the majority of the older moose that were killed by wolves had something debilitating them, thus making them more vulnerable as prey.

"With the older moose ... either they're real old when the wolves take them or there's something else debilitating them —some parasite or some malnutrition — like a predisposing condition that allows the wolves to kill them," Mech explained.

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Research biologist David Mech said he noticed that most adult moose that were killed by wolves were old or otherwise debilitated. (David Mech / Researcher)

He said because of the lack of experience and size, moose calves are also pretty vulnerable to wolves regardless of health.

"We have not yet, nor has anyone, been able to examine enough of those wolf-killed-moose-calves to determine for sure that they were all real healthy ... that's information we still don't have and would like to get," Mech added.

He said the up and down relationship between the moose and wolf population is a natural occurrence.

"There is really no definite human cause to these moose declines that we've been able to see," Mech said, "and if you look at what's happened on Isle Royal on Lake Superior ... it's pretty clear that these kinds of interactions are pretty natural."
 
I listened to the interview on CBC Thunder Bay. This guy admitted wolves prey heavily on moose calves (already known by trappers hunters etc.) but wanted to qualify that statement by saying that he did not know if wolves only took sick or weak moose calves like when they took old and weak moose. Having watched wolves for along time I know that a pack on a cow with a new calf will probably get that calf sick or not. He sounds like a wolf advocate and is trying to leave out some options for the wolves. I like wolves well enough I just don't like too many. Of course he brought up the old multi faceted effects on moose numbers, winter kill, ticks, global warming, over hunting, brain worm etc. I have to say that must be a rehearsed spiel because every time I hear it the effects are repeated almost in the same order and cadence. First nations harvest is left out of course. I don't care if you are indigenous and need a moose to winter over just include it in the "multifaceted" effects on moose populations.
Darryl
 
What a patronizing idiot. It's like saying day is light and night is dark, but stand by for further study... And always with the " sick and old " bit, naturally the easy are the first to go but as one of the most efficient predators on earth even healthy strong moose don't stand a chance. But I guess we'll have to stay tuned for the experts to weigh in on that too.
 
I'll be the first to say it. Genius. what a thoughtful and concise conclusion to a very needed study. Wolves, a predator species, kill and eat moose, a prey species. The predators take the animal that is easiest to get. wow. it is truly remarkable that no-one has thought of this before. a true pioneer..... where did this guy get his PhD, the bottom of a cereal box ?
 
I have dealt with,worked with a lot of scientists over the years. On every thing from lemmings to bears very few of them not all but very few will take local knowledge as fact. I know they have to prove it to someone to get a paycheck,but some acknowledgement of what local people know and have known for years about wildlife in their areas. The ones that actually listen to locals will get far more cooperation and even help if asked for and just may learn something. Not everyone needs a piece of paper to that tells you what you know.
pounder
 
Most of these so called biologist scientists are near useless in my opinion. Just because they spent a few years in university learning the Latin names of animals and their body parts, they look down on people who have spent their entire lives in the bush who genuinely care about the animals and freely offer them great advice based on real life experience.
 
i have funny one for wolf moose and caribou, the guy in charge in the yukon of wolf predation control while working was for the killing of wolves ... the day of his retirement he was against deeply and highly loud.

of course there is a correlation between wolf and moose and caribou add the bears in the facor and you need a very good control of the predators otherwise it will hard to find a good quality of moose and caribou.
 
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