MAINE GOVERNMENT NEWS • June 16, 2020
Maine’s moose population experienced a severe decline to an estimated 2,000 individuals in the early 1900s. However, with improved hunting restrictions and forest regeneration, the moose population experienced significant growth. The Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife estimated moose at around 76,000 in 2012. Since the recovery, climate change has influenced the proliferation of winter ticks, leading to poor reproduction and low calf survival through the first winter. Without intervention, the population will likely destabilize. MDIFW biologists are working to implement adaptive methods to keep the moose population healthy and stable for the future.