In Western Canada, moose have started to expand their range from forests to farmland, particularly the Prairie Pothole Region. Moose seemed to prefer farmland with sloughs (wetlands) edged with woods. The moose find relief from summer heat by going in the water or in the shade of neighbouring trees.
In south-central Saskatchewan, farmers are reporting more moose damage to crops, particularly cereal and oilseed crops, such as canola. The long-legged ungulates don’t seem to like pulses, specifically peas, beans or lentils. The scientists involved in the Saskatchewan Farmland Moose Project hypothesize that the moose are moving onto farmland partially because the fields have fewer large predators, specifically wolves or bears, than are found in boreal forest. To protect crops, the researchers suggest fencing around wetlands. However, fencing moose out is no easy task.
Source: Habitat selection by female moose in the Canadian prairie ecozone. Michel P. Laforge, Nicole L. Michel, Amy L. Wheeler and Ryan K. Brook. The Journal of Wildlife Management. Volume 80. Issue 6. Pages: 1059–1068. 2016.
- Janet Wallace