ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PROFILE

PROTECTION STATUS: Not listed

RANGE: Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin (and Canada)

THREATS: Modification and disturbance of habitat due to human development and climate change, high prevalence of disease from parasites, malnutrition, overheating, vehicular collisions, noise, small population size

POPULATION TREND: There are five main populations of moose in the U.S. Midwest, as well as one recently established small population. These are the northeastern and northwestern Minnesota populations, the northeastern North Dakota population, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan population, the Isle Royale population and the Wisconsin population (recently established). All populations have or are expected to experience significant decline, with the exception of the small population in Wisconsin that recently emigrated from Michigan. In the past 10 years Minnesota's moose population has dropped by 58 percent. There are roughly 3,450 moose surviving in Minnesota today; however, the Moose Advisory Committee has warned they might be extirpated from the state by 2020 if trends are not reversed.  

Photo ("Moose Dawn") by Steve Wall/Flickr