H. 1996, An Act Relative to the Moose Population in the Commonwealth
MSPCA Position: Oppose
Update: unfortunately, H.1996 received a favorable report from the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee.
The MSPCA is opposed to allowing a moose hunt in the Commonwealth. Hunting divides communities, creates further conflict, and is not an effective solution to prevent moose-car collisions. If there is available optimal habitat, more animals will simply move in to replace those that are killed. The MSPCA is committed to finding long-term solutions to conflicts with wildlife using humane, non-lethal, and cost-effective ways. We encourage communities to work together to find solutions to potential conflict, and to take a proactive approach whenever possible.
Moose have large home ranges covering many square miles and removing animals in one area will only allow other moose to move into the available habitat. In addition, moose are transient animals that are forced to cross roads because of habitat fragmentation and simply removing animals will not reduce collisions. The MSPCA has researched every state that has moose and looked at population statistics, vehicle-moose collisions, whether hunting is allowed and what has been done to try to decrease vehicle-moose collisions.
We found that around the country state officials recognize that education, not hunting, is the key factor in reducing vehicle-moose collisions. Some of the states to look at:
1) With over 175,000-200,000 moose and an estimated 700 collisions per year, Alaska has the highest number of moose-vehicle collisions on highways of anywhere in North America. In an effort to reduce collisions, the Alaska Department of Transportation experimented with several methods (fencing, lighting, etc.) to reduce collisions. Two reviews of their project showed that collisions with moose were reduced by 70% in lighted areas.
2) Maine has an estimated population of 29,000 moose with approximately 680 collisions per year between 2000-2004. Despite the fact that moose have been hunted in Maine since 1980, and they currently have two moose hunts a year, covering 21,000 square miles, the moose population has been growing for decades. Moose hunting has neither stopped the moose population from growing nor significantly reduced the number of moose/car collisions. In addition, an interagency working group found that “many moose-vehicle crashes are caused by drivers who exceed the safe speed for effective headlight distance” and “continuing an educational and awareness program discussing these issues should be a part of any solution implemented.”
3) New Hampshire has approximately 6,000 moose with an estimated 250 annual vehicle-moose collisions. State officials have been quoted as saying that the single most important factor in moose-motor vehicle accidents is driver speed and that public education is the key to preventing collisions.
The MSPCA realizes that animal/car collisions are a very serious problem in our society both to people and animals, and we are committed to finding effective solutions to these accidents as well as educating the public about safety on the road. “Educating drivers through awareness programs was identified as a factor that could most effectively bring a reduction in animal/vehicle crashes” (Maine Working Group Interim Report, pg. 11). Preventing collisions from occurring in the first place is clearly the more affordable solution in both lives and dollars. Encouraging drivers to alter their behavior by slowing down, driving alert especially when many animals are most active (at dawn and dusk and during the spring and fall months), dimming dashboard lights at night, and scanning roadside edges for animals can all help.
Additional non-lethal solutions that are presently available to help minimize collisions include: increased signage, lowering speed limits at high crash locations, wildlife bypasses, fencing and repellents, increased fines for litter (attracts animals to road edges), removing roadside vegetation, placing salt blocks safe distances from roads (road salt attrats animals), and airing public service announcements at high risk times of year (for moose, the 6 month summer period is highest). Also, there are a variety of methods currently being researched to reduce the numbers of animal/car collisions on a grand scale. Laser devices, mirrors, collision avoidance technology/sensors, and new headlight technology are a few. Looking overseas to countries in Europe with higher habitat fragmentation and similar problems with animal/vehicle collisions could prove helpful as well.
According to 2006 data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1.7 million Massachusetts’ residents aged 16 and older took part in bird watching, photography, hiking, and other wildlife activities unrelated to hunting. The same data shows that just 1% of Massachusetts residents participated in hunting. According to a recent survey, 86% of Massachusetts residents agreed that with only 800-1000 moose in Massachusetts, moose hunting should continue to be banned, as it has since 1913.
Compared to the majority of states with moose, Massachusetts has a small population (approximately 850 – 950 moose) and relatively few collisions. The MSPCA strongly recommends creating a working group to look at what other states with moose have found to be successful at reducing vehicle-moose collisions and using this information to devise a plan to reduce the numbers of animal/car collisions that includes multiple solutions with an emphasis on public and driver education, which has proven to be paramount in preventing vehicle/animal accidents in other states.
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