MINIMIZING MORTALITY OF MOOSE NEONATES FROM CAPTURE-INDUCED ABANDONMENT

Neonatal moose (Alces alces) may be prone to maternal abandonment induced by capture activities. We observed unexpectedly high levels of abandonment during the first year of our study of calf survival and cause-specific mortality in northeastern Minnesota. In response, we crafted a capture-induced a...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: William J. Severud, Glenn D. DelGiudice, Tyler R. Obermoller
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Lakehead University 2016-01-01
Series:Alces : A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose
Subjects:
Online Access:https://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/162/202
id doaj-7c5337d8d8c148c889d0a88e79b6f7ea
record_format Article
spelling doaj-7c5337d8d8c148c889d0a88e79b6f7ea2020-11-25T02:19:15ZengLakehead UniversityAlces : A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose0835-58510835-58512016-01-01527383MINIMIZING MORTALITY OF MOOSE NEONATES FROM CAPTURE-INDUCED ABANDONMENTWilliam J. Severud0Glenn D. DelGiudice1Tyler R. Obermoller2Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, Suite 135, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA 55108Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, Suite 135, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA 55108; Forest Wildlife Populations and Research Group, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 5463-C West Broadway Avenue, Forest Lake, Minnesota, USA 55025Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circle, Suite 135, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA 55108; Forest Wildlife Populations and Research Group, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 5463-C West Broadway Avenue, Forest Lake, Minnesota, USA 55025Neonatal moose (Alces alces) may be prone to maternal abandonment induced by capture activities. We observed unexpectedly high levels of abandonment during the first year of our study of calf survival and cause-specific mortality in northeastern Minnesota. In response, we crafted a capture-induced abandonment contingency plan to reduce calf deaths caused by such abandonment. Locations and movements of dams relative to calves were used to gauge whether abandonment was occurring and to trigger retrieval of live calves. The Minnesota Zoo and a private facility accepted abandoned calves in viable condition. As undesirable as it is to remove calves from the population and landscape, we found it preferable to leaving them to succumb to starvation, hypothermia, or predation. We believe variations of this plan may be used in other study areas to mitigate neonate mortality due to capture-induced abandonment.https://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/162/202abandonmentalces alcescalvescapture-induced abandonmentgps collarshumaninduced abandonmentmoose neonates
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author William J. Severud
Glenn D. DelGiudice
Tyler R. Obermoller
spellingShingle William J. Severud
Glenn D. DelGiudice
Tyler R. Obermoller
MINIMIZING MORTALITY OF MOOSE NEONATES FROM CAPTURE-INDUCED ABANDONMENT
Alces : A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose
abandonment
alces alces
calves
capture-induced abandonment
gps collars
humaninduced abandonment
moose neonates
author_facet William J. Severud
Glenn D. DelGiudice
Tyler R. Obermoller
author_sort William J. Severud
title MINIMIZING MORTALITY OF MOOSE NEONATES FROM CAPTURE-INDUCED ABANDONMENT
title_short MINIMIZING MORTALITY OF MOOSE NEONATES FROM CAPTURE-INDUCED ABANDONMENT
title_full MINIMIZING MORTALITY OF MOOSE NEONATES FROM CAPTURE-INDUCED ABANDONMENT
title_fullStr MINIMIZING MORTALITY OF MOOSE NEONATES FROM CAPTURE-INDUCED ABANDONMENT
title_full_unstemmed MINIMIZING MORTALITY OF MOOSE NEONATES FROM CAPTURE-INDUCED ABANDONMENT
title_sort minimizing mortality of moose neonates from capture-induced abandonment
publisher Lakehead University
series Alces : A Journal Devoted to the Biology and Management of Moose
issn 0835-5851
0835-5851
publishDate 2016-01-01
description Neonatal moose (Alces alces) may be prone to maternal abandonment induced by capture activities. We observed unexpectedly high levels of abandonment during the first year of our study of calf survival and cause-specific mortality in northeastern Minnesota. In response, we crafted a capture-induced abandonment contingency plan to reduce calf deaths caused by such abandonment. Locations and movements of dams relative to calves were used to gauge whether abandonment was occurring and to trigger retrieval of live calves. The Minnesota Zoo and a private facility accepted abandoned calves in viable condition. As undesirable as it is to remove calves from the population and landscape, we found it preferable to leaving them to succumb to starvation, hypothermia, or predation. We believe variations of this plan may be used in other study areas to mitigate neonate mortality due to capture-induced abandonment.
topic abandonment
alces alces
calves
capture-induced abandonment
gps collars
humaninduced abandonment
moose neonates
url https://alcesjournal.org/index.php/alces/article/view/162/202
work_keys_str_mv AT williamjseverud minimizingmortalityofmooseneonatesfromcaptureinducedabandonment
AT glennddelgiudice minimizingmortalityofmooseneonatesfromcaptureinducedabandonment
AT tylerrobermoller minimizingmortalityofmooseneonatesfromcaptureinducedabandonment
_version_ 1724877352120352768