oct2011newIreland.DW
Fundy National Park staff and students from the Maritime College of Forest Technology conducted an aerial moose survey on Sunday.
The weekend snow storm forced the researchers to conduct the entire moose survey on Sunday, instead of using both days to count the local moose population.
While the snowfall reduced the survey to a single day, a Parks Canada news release said the timing was ideal.
Wispering woods from Anne of Green Gables in Cavendish


"The snowfall was perfect timing. Moose are much easier to track if there is fresh snow within 72 hours prior to the survey. Fresh tracks can then be followed to the current location of the moose," the release said.

The aerial moose survey is the second in a three-year initiative.
The researchers fly around the southern New Brunswick park in a helicopter, which is normally flying 100 metres in the air. Once moose tracks are spotted, the helicopter flies lower so the researchers can determine if the moose is male, female, young or old.
moose crossing in fog ii
In 1993, the last time a three-year survey was conducted, there were between 80 and 100 moose in the park.

It's too early to determine any trends in the moose population, according to the The Parks Canada statement. But a similar number of moose were seen in the last survey, compared to the 2011 portion of the current survey, the agency said.