Moose Mystery Challenge

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MOOSE MOVEMENT

D0982 was located 3 times in September and October, always from the airplane. She was seen with her calf all three times. Twice she was in an area of mixed willow and tamarack trees and once she and her calf were in found in a spruce/tamarack forest area. Remember the moose ‘RUT' (breeding season) is in full swing mid-September to mid-October and, sure enough, D0982 was observed with a bull on September 23. D0982 was probably marking her territory by urinating to attract that bull. She was also "singing" to him as well and the bull likely responded with his more monotonous call.
Look at D0982's home range map.
Compare to previous breeding seasons.

• October - December 1997
• September - October 1998

RESEARCH UPDATES :

Three radio collared cow moose died during September/October: one from Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), one from the Viking Agricultural Area, and one from Thief Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA). None were killed by predators. The following is a summary of necropsy results:

September 17: Agassiz NWR cow captured in March 1998. When the researchers found her she had been laying on the ground struggling to get up for some time before she died as she had dug a small mud pit with her front hooves. She died from something related to parasites and/or a disease. Evidence of liver flukes were found in one lung, the heart, liver, rib cage, intestine, and diaphragm. No brain worms were observed, but the brain had started to decompose in the warm weather and was too far gone to assess for parasites.

October 15: Viking Agricultural Area yearling captured as a calf during the spring of 1998. She was only 1½ years old when she died. Her body looked as if she had starved. Her ribs and pelvis bones were showing clearly. The necropsy revealed a large number of liver flukes. The liver had been very damaged from the flukes, and there was damage to her lungs caused by another type of parasite and/or illness.

October 21: Thief Lake WMA cow captured in March 1998. Her body was filled with fluid when the researchers found her. In fact, when they cut her open, the fluid came shooting out and kept pouring out for about five minutes. Her lungs and liver were not normal. One lung was smaller than the other and covered with fibrinous tissue. The liver was large and misshapen. The heart, however, was especially damaged. It was covered with a very hard type of tissue. This moose likely died as a result of heart failure caused by parasites and/or diseases.

Collars go off the air! The batteries died on one collar and five of the expandable calf collars fell off. These losses are expected. The life expectancy (about 4 years) of many of the collars are coming to an end. Calf collars are designed to drop off when the animals are yearlings to allow for growth. October 31: 56 moose left with active collars.

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   U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

URL: http://midwest.fws.gov/agassiz/moose.html
Last updated on: February 3, 2000
Minnesota Moose Mystery managers:
Margaret Anderson, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Moose B8164
Gretchen Mehmel, Minnesota DNR - Wildlife - Moose D0982
Questions and comments on this web site: Mike Caucutt