Researchers studying why Michigan’s moose population isn’t growing

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Credit: Department of Natural ResourcesBy Rachel LewisAfter the great “moose lifts” in the 1980s, researchers were confident Michigan’s moose population would continue to grow, with a projection that the population could reach numbers in the thousands within 15 years. Petroelje is one of the main researchers studying the stagnant moose population at the state’s Department of Natural Resources. Since 2010, the DNR has seen the moose population growth stagnate, with population estimates between 400 and 500. Petroelje said it’s still too early to know what role, if any, winter ticks might be playing in the stagnation of Michigan’s moose population. She emphasized the cultural importance of preserving the moose population for the Anishinaabe community.