New online form makes it easy to report your moose sighting

If you have a good eye for spotting wildlife and are lucky enough to be in New York’s moose country, State officials want your help.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, the Cornell University Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Cornell Animal Health Diagnostic Center, and the Wildlife Conservation Society Adirondack Program are conducting a multi-year research project to obtain information on the status of New York State’s moose population, their health, and the factors that influence moose survival and reproductive rate. The goal of the Adirondack moose study is to gather data that will be used to create a moose management plan for New York State.

The New York State DEC and its partners are seeking information from the public regarding moose sightings to provide data for this study. If you sight a moose please report it to the NYS DEC by calling the Region 5 Wildlife office at 518-897-1291 or by completing and submitting the online moose reporting form. A link to the form can also be found at the bottom of the DEC Moose web page.

In January 2015, twelve moose were captured in the Adirondacks, fitted with GPS radio collars, and released. The movements of all twelve of the moose continue to be tracked remotely. Of the nine cows that were collared, seven had calves and two of those had twins.

You can read more about moose in New York State and the study in an article I wrote in the current edition of the Conservationist Magazine, where the story will be posted soon.