ST. PAUL, MN (KDAL) – Despite a drop of about 1,400 animals from last year’s aerial survey, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says the 2023 population of moose in the state remains relatively stable.
This year’s estimate of 3,290 moose reflects the relatively small increases and decreases seen over recent years.
Factors such as the visibility of moose from the air, challenging weather and moose avoidance of aircraft all create moderately high sampling uncertainty.
The uncertainty makes it difficult for researchers to make confident statements about the magnitude of annual population changes unless those changes are larger.
That last occurred in 2009 when the Minnesota moose population was approximately 8,000 and has since dropped to around 3,700 in recent years.
Comments