Provincial Moose Research Project
Last updated on September 21, 2023The Provincial Moose Research Project evaluates the effect of landscape change on adult female moose survival and population change. It also includes monitoring calf moose survival. Researchers capture individual moose to deploy a GPS radio-collar and collect health samples. Each animal is then monitored for survival and how they are using the land.
Completed Projects
- Thacker et al. 2019. British Columbia Provincial Moose Research Project Health Assessment Summary 2013 – 2018 (PDF, 4MB)
- Francis 2020. Evaluating Habitat Use of Female Moose in Response to Large Scale Salvage Logging Practices in British Columbia, Canada (PDF, 1.4MB)
- Francis et al. 2020. Female Moose Prioritize Forage Over Mortality Risk in Harvested Landscapes
- Chisholm et al. 2021. Seasonal movements of migratory and resident female moose (Alces alces) in north-central British Columbia, Canada
- Mumma et al. 2022. Regional moose (Alces alces) responses to forestry cutblocks are driven by landscape-scale patterns of vegetation composition and regrowth
- Boucher et al. 2022. Cumulative effects of widespread landscape change alter predator–prey dynamics
- Koetke et al. 2023. Landscape disturbance alters the composition and diversity of the diet of moose, a generalist herbivore
- Wallin 2023. Moose (Alces alces) behavioural response to wildfires in interior British Columbia (PDF, 1MB)
- Anderson et al. 2023. Wolf predation risk to moose in north-central British Columbia (PDF, 5MB)
- The Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation supported a comprehensive 2-year cow survival analysis (PDF, 3.5 MB) with the University of Northern British Columbia, which was completed in spring 2019. Final manuscripts are currently being developed to identify moose management actions to improve moose populations in the province.
- Analyses on habitat selection patterns of radio-collared moose (PDF, 4.2 MB) were completed in July 2018 at the University of Northern British Columbia.
Project Documents
- Factors Affecting Moose Population Declines in British Columbia Summary and Recommendations, 2012-2022 (PDF, 1.5MB)
- Progress Report 2022 (PDF, 5.4MB)
- Progress Report 2020 (PDF, 8MB)
- Research Design 2019 (PDF, 635KB)
- Progress Report 2019 (PDF, 3.7MB)
- Progress Report 2018 (PDF, 4.7MB)
- Progress Report 2017 (PDF, 8MB)
- Progress Report 2016 (PDF, 3.8MB)
- Progress Report 2015 (PDF, 285KB)
- Research Design 2014 (PDF, 1.3MB)
Complimentary Projects
Additional projects are being conducted by the Province to assess nutrition and assist in interpreting the causes of poor body condition of cows on moose populations. Current research projects include:
- Assessment of moose forage quality: effects of harvesting, season and exposure on nitrogen, digestible protein and tannin levels in preferred moose browse
- Habitat supply and ungulate winter range: identifying and protecting critical winter habitat
- Herbicide and moose forage analysis: investigating the effects of forest herbicide applications on quality of browse
- Fertilizer and moose forage analysis: investigating the quality of winter forage in fertilized and unfertilized stands
- Heat stress: investigating the intensity and timing of heat stress under various forest stand types
- Pellet analysis: investigating the constituents of moose pellets to infer forage and habitat quality