Causes of Neonatal Moose Calf Mortality in South Central Alaska

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Abstract
During spring 1977 and 1978, 136 moose (A. a. gigas) calves were radio-collared in the Nelchina and Susitna river basins of south-central Alaska in an effort to determine causes of mortality. Calves (13; 9.5%) died as a result of collaring activities. Of 124 remaining calves exhibiting normal cow-calf bonds, contact with 3 calves was lost and 66 (55%) died of natural causes. Predation by brown bears (Ursus arctos) was the most important cause of mortality, accounting for 79% of the deaths. Timing of the deaths of radio-collared calves similar to that of uncollared calves of radio-collared adults, which indicated that collaring did not predispose the calves to predation. Of the natural mortality, 94% occurred before July 19 each year. Little scavenging of either abandoned or predator-killed calves was observed. Radio-collared brown bears were observed on 78 kills during 1978, averaging 1 ungulate kill/6.1 observation days. Moose of all age-classes comprised 87% of the kills and calves were the most common prey (57%). Identification of brown bear as a significant predator of moose complicates attempts to understand and manage ungulate-carnivore relationships.

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