Update: Moose study results

Recent surveys suggest moose populations are declining in some parts of BC and in response, the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development is leading a multi-year provincial moose study to understand possible causes of the decline. In the Peace Region, moose populations appear stable. As a complement to the provincial study, the FWCP is funding research on limiting factors affecting moose in the Moberly and West Parsnip areas.

Moose are an important wildlife species ecologically, for First Nations’ sustenance, and for resident and non-resident hunters in northern B.C. This work is a priority action in the FWCP’s  Species of Interest Action Plan.

In 2018 – 2019 our Peace Region Board approved funding for year four of this project led by Wildlife Infometrics and Diversified Environmental Services.  Upcoming field work includes: monitoring 81 collared cow moose, investigating mortalities, and three calf surveys to determine calf production, calf survival, and calf recruitment (the number that survive to be one-year -old).

Year three moose results

• 102 cow moose captured and collared since 2016
  • 56 captures in West Parsnip,
  • 46 captures in Moberly,
• 16 mortalities to date
  • West Parsnip
    • Annual Cow Survival rate 83%
    • 8 of 11 mortalities in West Parsnip due to predators (i.e. wolf or Grizzly Bear)
  • Moberly
    • Annual Cow Survival rate 92%
    • 2 of 5 mortalities in Moberly due to predators (i.e. wolf or Grizzly Bear)
  • Other causes of mortalities where due to accident or malnutrition in both study areas
  • Recruitment surveys revealed that Moberly calf survival is estimated at 18% and West Parsnip calf survival is estimated at 51%.

Moose limiting factors

This project is an investigation of limiting factors affecting moose survival in our Peace Region. This project is designed to improve understanding of the ecological factors that limit moose survival in representative areas of the FWCP’s Peace Region, alongside the Provincial moose investigations currently underway.

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Click the provincial database link below to read this year’s report for this project