Now Reading: Introduced moose threaten Newfoundland’s forest regeneration
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Introduced moose threaten Newfoundland’s forest regeneration
Newfoundland’s moose population, estimated at about 110,000, is consuming young trees and shrubs faster than the island’s forests can replace them. Introduced in 1878 and again in 1904 as a source of…
The Story in Brief
Newfoundland’s moose population, estimated at about 110,000, is consuming young trees and shrubs faster than the island’s forests can replace them. Introduced in 1878 and again in 1904 as a source of meat and a game animal, moose multiplied after wolves disappeared around 1930 and logging created fresh vegetation. One animal can eat up to 60 lb of vegetation daily in summer, according to provincial wildlife information.
The herd has repeatedly risen and fallen as habitat limits and hunting shaped its numbers. In Gros Morne National Park, the population peaked above 7,000 in 1998, damaging forest regeneration and creating grasslands. Parks Canada now manages it near 2,000. Newfoundland has raised its 2026-27 hunting quota by 1,090 licences to 28,705.
The Indian Opinion
Calling this simply a wildlife success story ignores the cost to forests, while portraying hunting as the sole answer ignores habitat data. Newfoundland’s experience shows that introduced animals can outgrow the system that supports them, especially after predators vanish. Hunting quotas must follow local surveys and forest recovery, not public pressure alone. The clearest test is whether young trees continue returning as the herd stays near its target range.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
