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| Moose - A Growing Concern |
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Moose are also GENERALISTS, in the summer months moose tend to be found in
shallow open water and wetlands, in the winter they tend to live in lowlands under
coniferous canopy where the snow is less deep. In the spring moose can be found in
younger forests eating early growth from trees. Although moose have been chosen as
a landscape species, their story is different from the other animals that were chosen.
Moose do face some threats from human development. They rely on a wide variety of plants
throughout their home range, so logging and forest harvesting can reduce the biodiversity
they need to survive. Moose are very large animals that roam a wide range, so development
forces them into increasingly smaller areas, which causes several problems between moose
and humans.
The moose population is actually becoming a concern to conservation biologists
in the Adirondacks. While it is a positive sign that moose are returning to this part of
their former range, there are no longer predator species here to keep their population in
check. Cougars and wolves were driven out or killed off when settlers first moved into
the Adirondacks, and bears and coyotes are generally not interested in preying on moose
unless they take a young or sick individual. Humans are no longer hunting moose in the
Adirondacks either, but could be given permits to help manage populations.
What's the big deal with having a lot of moose around? Well, moose are a species that can
drastically alter their environment. Because they eat such a wide variety of foods and
in huge quantities, many scientists believe that moose can actually shape an ecosystem
much like a beaver does when it builds a dam. Moose are also a threat to humans who
drive through the park, since they often stand near clearings in roads and are difficult
to see at night.
Since moose are both a good sign of ecosystem health and a popular sight for Adirondacks
visitors, their management is an important task for local conservationists. Maintaining a
stable moose population is important for other species of flora and fauna in the park and
for humans as well.
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