BANGOR METRO • January 8, 2024
Maine has the highest population of moose in the lower 48 states, perhaps too high. Nature has a way of correcting over populations, and it’s often not pretty. Predation, disease, and starvation are some of nature’s tools. For moose, the winter tick is today’s main culprit. The balance has swung wildly. A century ago, only about 2,000 moose were left in Maine, due mostly to overhunting. Improved conservation over the ensuing decades allowed populations to rebound. By 2012, the population had exploded to 76,000. As moose and tick populations increased simultaneously, moose began to suffer. Maine’s population remains stable, but the warning signs have become obvious. Calves are dying.