St. Paul, MN (NNCNOW.com) - The Department of Natural Resources
is launching a first of its kind, cutting-edge research project
looking at Moose in Minnesota. The DNR says the project aims to
help determine why the state's population of these iconic
mammals is dwindling. Wildlife managers say reasons for the
decline could include parasites, diseases and warmer weather.
Research will employ the use of GPS and other technology to
track the current population, and when a Moose dies the DNR will
know right away. "As soon as it stops moving for six hours,
we'll be alerted the animal has died," said Ericka Butler, a
Wildlife Vet with the DNR. "We have crews and trained field
staff who are trained with moose moralities and within 24 hours
get there and get the whole carcass out intact. If we can't do
that we'll do a very thorough field necropsy." The $1.5 million
study will track about 150 moose.