Mainland moose are a very rare commodity

While moose have become a nuisance in places like Newfoundland and Labrador, sightings of them in mainland Nova Scotia are rare.

A picture of a female moose and her calf walking along a road near Five Islands posted on Facebook this week, compelled many people to point out just how rare moose sightings are on the mainland.

They aren’t wrong. Since 2003, mainland moose have been part of the Nova Scotia Endangered Species Act.

“Mainland moose were assessed as endangered because of declining population numbers,” said Bob Petrie, director of the Department of Natural Resources. “Experts believe there are a few suspected reasons as to why they are endangered, such as disease, poaching and changing landscapes.”

Whitetail deer in the mainland vastly outnumber moose, and while being outnumbered isn’t a problem in itself, whitetail deer carry a parasite called a Tenuis, or “brain worm,” which can be deadly to moose.

Petrie also pointed to the constantly changing landscape and climate of the mainland that has driven the moose population down.

“Climate change has made it tougher for the moose to live in southwestern Nova Scotia as opposed to the cooler climate of Cape Breton, making it a real challenge for them to maintain a healthy body temperature.

“Human activity has also contributed to the diminishing numbers, with new roads and buildings constantly being built.”

Poaching is another factor in the disappearing population of moose, and while they don’t hear about every incident, Petrie said the DNR knows it’s happening.

Moose may be endangered now, but their population hasn’t always been low, and hunting the animal was legal in the province until 1981.

“The moose population had been healthy in the past,” said Petrie. “Moose were hunted legally up until the ’80s, and there had been a steady population during the first three-quarters of the last century.”

The DNR receive periodic reports of sightings on the mainland each year, but they don’t believe recent sightings represent a growing moose population.

While sightings like the one near Five Islands are a great way to get likes on social media, Petrie stressed the importance of reporting moose sightings.

“We want to understand what habitats and what regions they are in and if they are doing better in some than others,” said Petrie.

“Any sightings reported to the DNR are put in a database, where we collect any information we can get from those who call it in. These reports help us with our assessments of the mainland’s moose population.”

Petrie also stressed people should not try to interact or harass any moose they see, as it can put themselves and the moose in danger, and due to their endangered status it can result in legal charges.

“If they were to go extinct, we would lose an iconic and longstanding species on the mainland,” he said. “The reason we have an Endangered Species Act is because society has determined we value these species of animals and don’t want to lose them. We are working to avoid that.”