What you need to know:
- Alaska’s traditional fall aerial moose surveys, which rely on adequate snow cover, are increasingly threatened by climate change. Delayed snowfall and insufficient snow depth make it harder to spot moose against the landscape, reducing the accuracy of population counts.
- A 2019 study documented that snowfall now arrives about a week later and melts a week earlier than in the 1990s. Projections suggest that by midcentury, more than half of Alaska’s moose habitats may lack sufficient snow for fall surveys.
- To address the declining reliability of traditional methods, biologists are exploring alternatives such as genetic tracking, drones, and infrared technology. Accurate moose counts are essential for setting hunting limits and preventing overharvesting.
By Yereth Rosen, Alaska Beacon
When state biologists want to know how many moose are wandering around in different parts of Alaska, they usually get into small planes, take to the air and count the animals that stand out in the snow-covered landscape below.