Emaciated moose euthanized as concern grows for animals

Two emaciated moose left stranded by floodwaters have been euthanized, in what animal welfare workers say is likely just the most visible symbol of a wider problem for New Brunswick wildlife pushed away from their food sources.

Wildlife officials say they had no choice but to euthanize the moose - the sickly animals were too weak to move from the Trans- Canada Highway after they sought out higher ground until they became stranded on a closed highway bridge near Jemseg.

One also had an injured leg. Animal welfare workers say it may just be the beginning of the story for animals pushed out of their natural dwellings by record floodwaters this month in New Brunswick.

“It can certainly displace them and it may have an effect on the beginning of baby sea- son, especially for the ground dwelling mammals and some of the birds,” said Pam Novak, wildlife care director for the Atlantic Wildlife Institute near Sackville, N. B.

“I think the residual effects too would be the health of any wildlife, like waterfowl, that use the water surfaces because they are becoming contaminated.” Unprecedented water levels have begun a steady retreat in parts of flood- stricken New Brunswick, but provincial officials have issued repeated warnings that residents should treat the floodwaters with caution because of possible contamination.

Raw sewage has fouled the Saint John River water that is likely also mixed with rotting animal carcasses, fuel and other debris. Health officials say the water could contain harmful bacteria, like salmonella or E. coli.

Novak said that could create longer term issues for wildlife. “Waterfowl could show up with higher levels of botulism or E. coli,” she said. “My main concern would be seeing the residual effects from the toxicity levels in the water, so we will wait and see.”

She said many animals may also have trouble accessing food that is under water. The decline of prey species, like small rodents killed when their dens became flooded, could limit the amount of food for predators, Novak said.

“If there weren’t good rodent populations, then you might start seeing starvation more in the predator species, like birds of prey and other mammal species,” she said.

“For some crows and ravens, their young have already hatched and there’s going to be effects there where they’re not able to forage and find food for their own young so we may see those kinds of starvation cases in the next couple of months.”