a description of moose and cost-benefit analysis of moose conservation

Moose/Eurasian elk [Alces alces] are the largest of all the deer species. They can be found in the temperate and subarctic regions of Europe, North America and Asia in boreal and mixed deciduous forests. The males of the species are well-known for their massive antlers that can spread 1.8 meters from end to end. The adults average between 160 and 210cm in height with weights reaching 820kg. Their faces are long with muzzles that hang over the chin. There is also a flap of skin that swings beneath each moose’s throat that is known as the bell.

Despite their enormous size, moose are agile swimmers. During the spring, summer and fall they are often seen in marshes, lakes, wetlands and rivers. They are able to paddle several miles at a time and fully submerge themselves for more than 30 seconds. Their large hooves also act like snowshoes to support their massive bodies in snow and mud. Furthermore, they are quite agile and can run at speeds of up to 56 kilometers per hour and trot steadily at 32 kilometers per hour.

Moose are herbivores that have a preference for consuming higher grasses and shrubs because of their large stature which results in difficulty lowering their heads to the ground. Their winter diet is heavily dependent on shrubs and pinecones, although they also consume mosses and lichens. When food stuff is more widely available during the warmer parts of the year, moose consume a variety of aquatic plants both at and below the water’s surface (4). On average, adults animals consume approximately 30kg of browse daily, although their stomachs have the capacity to hold over 50 kg of food.

The animals mate in September and October. The bulls (males) which are typically solitary in nature, congregate in large groups, bellow loudly to impress the females and establish supremacy by partaking in battles. After mating, the females and males separate until the following year. The gestation period is 243 days. The females typically birth one or two calves that weigh approximately 14kg. The calves are able to run faster than an adult human by the time they are five days old. The young stay with the mothers until the following mating season. Their average life span for bulls in the wild is 7 years, but some animals live until approximately 20 years of age.

Unfortunately, there have been decreases in moose populations throughout the world and the cause is unknown.  The question then becomes, what does the conservation of these four-legged creatures cost and are those costs worth it?

MOOSE; EURASIAN ELK [Alces alces]
Costs
Category	Item	Quantity	Price	Total
Construction
	Fencing for underpasses and jump outs	As needed [1]	600,000	—
	25 and 50-year fence replacement	As needed2	750,000	—
Human Injury
	Bodily Damage – Car Accidents	300	6,500 – 2,000,000	1,950,000 – 60,000,000
Maintenance
	Forest Damage	250,000	$66 – 132 per head of moose	16,500,000 – 33,000,000
	Property Damage – Auto Accidents	800	5,000	3,500,000
	Farm Damage	250	10,000	250,000
	Fence Repair and Upkeep	As Needed2	1,500	—
Counter Measures
	Moose Feed	2,500	137	205,500
TOTAL				21,970,550 – 42,955,500
Benefits: consumptive
Hunting
	Retail Sale of Meat	6,250	16/kilo * 250 kg	25,000,000
	Subsistence Food Value	5,500	2,200	12,100,000
	Meat Salvage	216,000	8/kilo	1,296,000
	Hunting Permits	415	10,000	4,150,000
	By-Products	50,000	4/kilo	200,000
Benefits: non-consumptive
	Tourism Trips	35,000	300	10,500,000
	Hunting Tourism	25,000	450	11,250,000
	Luxury Hunting Trips	100	10,000	100,000
TOTAL	154,946,000

 

Final Values:

Benefits                                                                154,946,000

Costs                                           42,955,500 /   21,970,550

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Difference                              111,990,500 / 132,975,450

 

Conclusion:

The benefits of moose are economically valued at between 2.7 and 7 times that of their imposed costs. Therefore, a continuation of thoughtful hunting practices and encouragement of nature tourism is encouraged. Furthermore, due to recent population decreases it is advisable that efforts to protect this resource are made. It is suggestible that some of the profits from hunting licenses and local tourism be invested in conservation and public education endeavors.

Notes:

• In many locations, moose populations have decreased without explanation, although it has been suggested that predation, higher temperatures, and disease are the cause. As a result, many states are reducing the number of permits awarded, electing to switch to a lottery system for permits, or eliminating moose season completely.
• The price for hunting tags is an average taken from the figures provided by Alaska’s, Maine’s, and New Hampshire’s Department of Fish and Game website.
• Values provided for meat are based on the average of 550 pounds of useable flesh harvested per animal.
• Luxury wildlife hunting expenditure estimates are based on all-inclusive hunting packages offered by trained professionals in Alaska.
• Costs for bridge building, repair, maintenance, property and bodily injury are based on estimates in for costs in Canada, Norway, and Alaska.

[1,2] Costs not included in the final totals.

Additional reading:

Moose Die-Off Alarms Scientists

Researchers track New Hampshire moose in hopes of pinpointing cause of population decline

States Initiating Research on Moose Declines; Minnesota Halts Hunt

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sources:

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Wildlife, D. o. (2013). Moose Hunting. Retrieved from
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