Still no definitive cause for moose deaths

[Peter Emberley]

People throughout areas on the Northern Peninsula have been reporting cases of sick and dying moose for about a decade now.

 

Despite an ongoing project partnered by the provincial Departments of Natural Resources, Animal Health and the Department of Environment and Conservation to examine the issue, government has no definitive answers as to a cause, a spokesperson said Friday.

In 2008, the Department of Environment and Conservation released a statement saying people can continue to hunt in the area, that an investigation hasn’t discovered “any common illness or threat to public health.”

Three years ago, tests on eight dead moose suggested the animals starved to death due to lack of food or “health issues that could impact their ability to eat,” the department reported.

The findings and response was met with skepticism and criticism by hunters and outfitters on the Northern Peninsula.

At the time, Eric Patey said, “they don’t know what’s causing it and this is just someone blowing hot air out to the people.” He had concerns for the moose population and the potential impact on people consuming the meat. He also wondered if there might be a health issue effecting the moose population, which could potentially impact humans.

This week, another outfitter, Roger Keough, said recent reports of dead moose in areas around Parsons Pond are related to the ongoing issue. He said it has been about 10 years now. He described the moose as appearing to get sick, possibly experiencing diarrhea or something similar. He said some recover, others die.

Keough also said hunters have complained about the condition of a moose they killed or the quality of the meat.

He recalls the explanation provided by the province.

“ I don’t know if it is the case or not,” he said. “But, they are supposed to have the answers.”

Another hunter from Parsons Pond, who did not want to be identified, confirmed moose are still being found dead in that area.

Government officials are collecting samples from hunter-killed moose to provide information on the general health status of moose on the Northern Peninsula. All reports of sick moose to the Department of Natural Resources are investigated. Also, if a sick moose is located, the animal is dispatched and samples are taken for comparison with hunter-killed moose from that area.

“The Animal Health Division and the Wildlife Division are processing the samples to attempt to determine the underlying cause for the ‘sick moose,’” the spokesperson stated via email. “To date, very few samples have been collected, so identification of a definitive cause has not been possible.”

The Department of Natural Resources is also working with Gros Morne National Park, so moose shot during this year’s trial cull are sampled for scientific purposes.

 

Published on October 23, 2011

  Cory Hurley  

 The Western Star