Voyageurs Moose Population Holding Steady

INTERNATIONAL FALLS  (AP) - Wildlife biologists say the moose population is holding relatively steady in Voyageurs National Park in north-central Minnesota.

They say that stands in contrast to the rapidly declining moose population in the state's main moose range in northeastern Minnesota.

Voyageurs officials said in a statement Tuesday that the park's moose population is estimated at 46, based on data from an aerial survey this winter. That's similar to estimates from surveys conducted from 2009-2011.

The survey report says it's not clear why Voyageurs' moose population appears to be relatively stable while the moose population in northeastern Minnesota has declined 65 percent from 2009-2011.

But the biologists warn that climate change and disease outbreaks continue to threaten the long-term viability of the park's small, isolated moose population, and that further monitoring is warranted.