ECOLOGICAL STATUS OF MOOSE AND WHITE-TAILED DEER AT VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK, MINNESOTA
Abstract
We examined the status and recent trends in numbers and distribution of moose and white-tailed deer along with the prevalence of meningeal worm in both species at Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota. Aerial counts indicated deer occurred at a winter density of 8.37/km2 throughout the park in 1992 while moose occurred at a density of 0.23/km2 with a more limited distribution. Meningeal worm larvae occurred in 80% of the deer pellet groups examined in 1978 and 76% of the pellet groups examined in 1988 and 1989. Adult meningeal worms were found in 80% of the deer heads examined. A single dorsal-spined larva was recovered from 1 of 22 moose fecal samples. We conclude that white-tailed deer and moose have occured sympatrically and VNP through at least the 1980s. There is no direct evidence that meningeal worm is a mortality factor in adult moose at the park.
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