Sporadic Alaska Snowfall Making Moose Surveys More Challenging

Really fascinating University of Alaska Fairbanks study that suggests moose surveying will be difficult to analyze due to less consistent periods of snowfall during the window to do the research. Here are some details from the Anchorage Daily News:

A study led by University of Alaska Fairbanks scientists found that the time window for counting moose in the fall is being squeezed by later arrival of adequate snow. By midcentury, it said, there may be too little snow to continue to do these traditional fall aerial surveys in more than half of Alaska’s moose habitat.

The idea for the study was sparked by biologists’ complaints about surveys becoming more difficult to complete, said lead author Todd Brinkman of UAF’s Institute of Arctic Biology.

“Totally, that’s the motivation,” Brinkman said. “Being able to complete these in the fall is becoming more unpredictable.”