The Threat
Though the mainland moose (Alces alces americana) population in Nova Scotia was officially declared endangered under the provincial Endangered Species Act in 2003, many Nova Scotians are unaware that moose on the mainland are at risk, little action has been taken to date, and the population has not recovered. An estimated 1,000 individuals make up the provincial population today—far below the provincial Recovery Plan’s target of 5,000 moose.
The mainland moose is distinct from the Cape Breton moose (Alces andersonii), a western subspecies that was introduced to the island after the native moose died out. The native moose is found in isolated pockets within the Cumberland/Colchester Highlands, Pictou/Antigonish/Guysborough area, and the Tobeatic region. Primary threats to the mainland moose include habitat loss, fragmentation, poaching, and disease introduced by newly naturalized white-tailed deer. Though the introduced western moose in Cape Breton and native moose in New Brunswick are also negatively affected by these threats, for reasons we don’t yet understand, moose on the island and other side of the Chignecto Ismuths do not seem to respond to these threats in the extreme ways moose on the mainland do.
We led a series of educational events over 2022-2023 sharing moose ID tips with participants and collected surveys from Nova Scotians revealing their observations and perceptions of moose conservation issues. We also launched 30 volunteer-stewarded trail cameras in moose habitat, focusing in particular on the Chebucto Peninsula. Over 2024-2026, we are building on this work by expanding our outreach to new demographics and adding 30 additional trail cameras to our moose monitoring network, focusing on rural Halifax, Guysborough, Colchester, and Cumberland areas. New events will target hunters and anglers, recognizing their crucial role in moose conservation and as knowledge holders, and young Nova Scotians, who seem to be less aware of the conservation issues facing moose, while trail camera outreach will target rural landowners stewarding appropriate habitats.
Our Findings to Date
Over 2022 to 2024, we identified gaps in public awareness of the mainland moose, particularly among younger and urban-dwelling Nova Scotians, noted heightened concerns about poaching in the Tobeatic region and, encouragingly, found an increased awareness of moose conservation issues in the Cumberland/Colchester area.
Fifty-eight percent (58%) of survey respondents had seen a moose on mainland Nova Scotia in their lifetime with many of the sightings occurring between 10 – 20 years ago. Most young Nova Scotian respondents had never seen a moose.
We also confirmed our previous suspicions that many Nova Scotians are not reporting moose or signs of moose to the provincial hotline, with 65.8% of survey respondents saying they were not aware of the provincial hotline or that they chose not to report. Lack of reporting could be due to lack of awareness or skepticism of provincial efforts to conserve the mainland moose or its habitat. These respondents do seem comfortable speaking with and reporting moose signs to Nature Nova Scotia staff, so we are hopeful that continued community engagement will break down these awareness- and trust-related barriers.
