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moose

  • Cassidy Mazur posted an article
    How Moose are Impacted by Humans in the Lake of the Woods Area. see more

    Moose are a very charismatic boreal inhabitant that can be particularly impacted by human disturbances. Populations have suffered in Provinces and States around Lake of the Woods for decades, and recovery is slow.

    Human development of land has lead to loss of habitat and fragmented habitat. Linear features like roads, railway, and snow pack from snowmobiles lead to increased access by wolves, poachers, and hunters. Climate change influences many aspects of moose health, but most relevant perhaps is it pushes diseases and pests further north as temperatures warm. It has also resulted in lakes not fully freezing over and moose being found dead in the spring.

    Moose rely on disturbed habitat that has been recently burned or harvested because it promotes the growth of highly nutritional young trees and shrubs, which. Historically moose sought out areas swept by wildfires, but as we increase fire suppression, moose rely more on forestry harvest for disturbances that promote new, young growth.

    To learn more about moose check out your areas moose management plan! Manitoba, Ontario, and Minnesota all do annual population surveys and follow population management plans.

     

     

     December 07, 2021
  • Cassidy Mazur posted an article
    Chronic wasting disease in Manitoba confirmed: What this means for Northwestern Ontario see more

    The first case of chronic wasting disease in Manitoba was recently confirmed in a mule deer in the southwestern part of the province. Chronic wasting disease, commonly referred to as CWD, is a fatal neurological disease that affects cervids, including white-tailed deer, moose, elk, and caribou. CWD is highly infectious, incurable, and 100% fatal. It poses high risk to our wildlife, food sustainability, cultural sustainability social wellbeing, economy, recreational activities, and although risk human health is not confirmed, the risk is not zero and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recommends against consumption of infected meat.

    Caused by an abnormal protein that self-replicates within animals, it belongs to a group of diseases that also includes mad cow disease. CWD-infected animals can pass it to other animals through direct contact or through shed prions in the soil, vegetation, or on hard surfaces. In locations where the disease is established it infects 1 in 10 animals and for localized infected areas more than 1 in 4.

    The visible symptoms of CWD include weight loss, excessive salivation, disorientation, tremors, stumbling, a lack of coordination, and paralysis - although it may takes years for infected animals to be symptomatic.

    You can help with the early detection of wildlife disease by reporting sick, strange-acting, or dead wildlife (not just deer) to the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative.

    To learn more check out this video from the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters:

    https://youtu.be/lA8XyWR9Zg4

     December 07, 2021