ENR needs samples
Moose study requires more kits
to determine health of Deh Cho moose
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, September 17, 2015
DEH CHO
GNWT researchers say hunters need to submit more moose harvesting samples for government researchers to properly determine the health of the Deh Cho's moose population.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has been conducting sampling studies since February 2013 as an addition to the department's long-standing Dehcho Moose Population Monitoring Program.
The sampling study aims to provide information to the department regarding the health of moose that are hunted and eaten in the region.
However, hunters have been reluctant in recent years when it comes to returning samples to the department.
Nic Larter, the department's manager of wildlife, research and monitoring, said the 28 samples had been collected so far this year but researchers need at least 15 more in order to properly conduct their study.
The new samples will be compared to data from an original study that took place between 2004 and 2007 in the Deh Cho. That study brought in 43 samples, which are being used as a baseline against the new samples to test whether the situation for moose in the Deh Cho has deteriorated.
"Samples would be accepted until early winter," said Carl Lafferty, the department's superintendent for the Deh Cho region.
Samples include front teeth from the lower jaw, a handful of fecal pellets, a three square-inch chunk of liver, a three square-inch chunk of muscle and a six-inch piece of leg bone with marrow.
With that data, the department's can determine whether moose are being adversely affected by contaminants such as cadmium, a naturally-occurring heavy metal that was found in relatively high levels during the original study.
Other contaminants the department will look for include arsenic, mercury, lead and zinc, as well as organic pollutants and some chemicals used in flame retardants.
The department is offering hunters $75 for complete kits and $50 for kits that lack the kidney.
First Nation offices have pre-made kits available to hunters, and kits are also available at department offices.
A poster circulated this year for the study by the department assures hunters moose meat remains a healthy source of food for community residents.
