Our Wildlife Department has been very active over the last few years, with special interest and focus on the health of the moose in the Cape Breton Highlands, and we have also been monitoring activities and conservation of the mainland moose as well.
The Mi’kmaq have decided that in order to best understand the moose herd in Cape Breton, we needed to be part of the process to monitor the herd much more closely. In partnership with the provincial Department of Lands and Forestry and the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources and the Cape Breton Highlands Park Service, KMK has been part of the group conducting aerial moose surveys in the Cape Breton Highlights National Park for a few years and through this, and opening moose check stations for collecting samples from moose harvested, we all have been very successful in determining the health of the moose population.
Winter 2020 Cape Breton Moose Survey
Moose Check Stations
Our monitoring efforts in conjunction with our partnership with the Nova Scotia Department of Lands and Forestry, have conducted moose monitoring stations during the Mi’kmaw Moose Hunt and the non-Native provincial hunt. These monitoring stations have been voluntary in nature, and well received by all parties. Samples of animals harvested have been provided by hunters to help us determine if there are outlying problems such as disease that might be hindering the moose health in the Cape Breton Highlands.
Hunting Initiatives
Initiatives that have been started by the Mi’kmaq are geared for the conservation of the moose population have been taken very seriously by the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia to prevent unlawful hunting of the herd. Initiatives such as banning bear hunting during moose hunting season in the Highlands, is one example of this work. This program was implemented because many bear hunters were masking bear licenses to illegally hunt (poaching) moose for many years.
Another very important step for conservation, was the implementation of strict controls on who can hunt in Nova Scotia. Only Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia can legally harvest – take wildlife or other natural resources in our territory. The work of KMK led to Nova Scotia’s unacceptance of other forms of identification for the purposes of harvesting, including ATRA Passports. Now, only a valid Federally-issued Status Card from one of the 13 Mi’kmaq Bands or a Wula Na Kinu Mi’kmaw Harvester Identification Card will be accepted to harvest wildlife in our province moving forward.
Resolution Respecting Proposed Changes to Harvester Documentation
Another very important initiative geared towards conservation efforts was to control the moose population in a specific section of the Cape Breton Highlands National Park where moose were overpopulated. This over population led to other species of animals and plants becoming extinct, as over browsing of moose was affecting the stability of North Mountain and its ecosystem. This management initiative took place over four years.
All the moose harvested in this Mi’kmaq Park harvest was donated to the Mi’kmaw communities in Nova Scotia as well as Food Banks in Nova Scotia, with the costs were absorbed and paid for by the KMK office.
