Did the mortality rate of monitored Maine moose calves exceed 70% this year? | Fact brief

Maine moose biologist Lee Kantar said 72% of the state’s GPS-collared moose calves died before reaching their first birthday in 2026.

Kantar told Maine Public the monitored sample was fairly representative of Maine’s broader moose population, although conditions vary by location.

Annual mortality among collared calves has ranged from anywhere between 8% and 87% since monitoring began in 2014.

Winter ticks caused this year’s high death rate. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife says thousands of ticks can remain attached to one moose for five or six months, causing blood and hair loss. Calves have little body fat and cannot replace blood quickly enough.

Despite poor calf survival in some years, Maine’s moose population is considered stable. The state’s 2025 Wildlife Action Plan estimates that Maine is home to 30,000 to 50,000 moose and identifies climate change and winter ticks as key threats.