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Moose in the Adirondacks: Incredible photos

A research project by the Department of Environmental Conservation shows moose living in the Adirondacks.
(Photo: NYS DEC)

ALBANY -- Do you know the Adirondacks has a healthy and growing moose population?

The state Department of Environmental Conservation has been conducting an aerial research project since 2015 to track and study the movement of moose in the Adirondack Mountains.

The goal is to develop a moose-management plan for New York and boost their survival. The DEC estimates New York has about 400 moose, mainly living in the Adirondacks.

(Photo: NYS DEC)

The DEC this month released new photos and a video of moose stomping through the snow-covered forest, encouraging onlookers to report any sightings.

"Aerial surveys are conducted only during the winter months with the use of helicopters," the DEC said.

"The moose tend to be clustered in areas with abundant food resources, and they are easy to spot from the air when there are no leaves on the hardwood trees and they are silhouetted against the snow."

The DEC started the project three years ago with the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Cornell University's Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit.

(Photo: NYS DEC)

The multi-year project is aimed at obtaining information on the status of New York's moose population, their health and the factors that affect their survival and reproductive rate.

The effort has included trying to capture the moose and fit them with GPS collars. The DEC did so with 12 moose in three years ago; nine in 2016 and five more last year.

With the GPS system, the moose can be remotely tracked, as well as determined if they are producing calves or having health problems.

"Researchers also have tracked collared moose to understand their diet selection and have been sampling vegetation across the Adirondack Park to assess the quantity and quality of available food sources," the DEC said.

While most of the New York moose are found in the Adirondack region, some have been found south in the Albany area, including in Rensselaer and Columbia counties.

(Photo: NYS DEC)

In 2015, one bull moose was captured in Rensselaer County after it was believed to have swam across the Hudson River.

The DEC encourages people to provide any information about moose sightings by filling out a form on the DEC's website.

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