New York Project
Density estimation of moose in New York State: investigations into the apparent decline
April 2015 - August 2019
Personnel
Participating Agencies
- Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
- Kieckhefer Adirondack Fellowship
This project will investigate the apparent declines in the moose population within New York. We will implement a spatial capture- recapture (SCR) study of moose in New York to estimate population density. This method will employ scat detection dogs to survey moose scat, which will then be used to genetically identify individuals. The SCR models that are developed will be used to study processes such as resource selection, movement, space usage, and landscape connectivity, contributing to moose management by providing inference on the impacts of land-use patterns, climate, disease, and interspecific interactions on population processes. We will make recommendations regarding efficient survey designs that incorporate both occupancy-level survey data (possibly including remotely-operated trail cameras, observations from hunter surveys, etc.) and non-invasive genetic sampling so that rigorous range-wide surveys can be conducted to estimate abundance and density. The project, in collaboration with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and The Wildlife Conservation Society, will also focus on developing broader management and population goals for moose in New York, including the characterization of stakeholder concerns for population-level thresholds.
Presentations | Presentation Date |
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Wong, A. A. Fuller, J. Royle. 2016. Spatial patterns in density of moose in a heterogeneous landscape using non-invasive genetic sampling to inform management. Cornell graduate student annual research symposium. January 25, 2016. | January 2016 |
Wong, A. J.A. Royle, and A.K. Fuller. 2017. Novel application of adaptive sampling principles to spatial capture-recapture. 24th Annual Conference of the Wildlife Society. Albuquerque, New Mexico. 27 September, 2017. | September 2017 |
Wong, A., A. Fuller, J.A. Royle, J. Hurst. Obstacles to genetic analysis of moose using fecal samples. 74th Annual Northeast Fish and Wildlife Conference, Burlington, VT. | April 2018 |
Wong, A., A. Fuller, J.A. Royle. 2016. Challenges of sickness and stress for moose: assessing thermal stress and parasitic threats to moose in the Adirondacks of New York. The Wildlife Society New York Chapter meeting. April 12, 2016. | April 2016 |
Wong, A., A.K. Fuller, J.A. Royle. Novel application of adaptive sampling principles to spatial capture-recapture. International Statistical Ecology Conference. St Andrews, Scotland. | July 2018 |
Wong, A., and A.K. Fuller. 2017. Moose density and connectivity in the Adirondacks. Adirondack Research Forum. Old Forge, NY. 1 March, 2017. | March 2017 |
Wong, A., and A.K. Fuller. Assessing parasitic threats to moose in the Adirondacks of New York. New York Chapter of The Wildlife Society Annual Meeting. Albany, NY. 12 April, 2016 | April 2016 |
Theses and Dissertations | Publication Date |
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Wong, A. 2018. Methodologies for abundance estimation of moose (Alces alces) and other rare species. MS Thesis. | December 2018 |