The effects of the Swedish moosemanagement

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects on the Swedish moose populationof a new moose management system introduced in 2012. To this end, the size of thepopulation had to be measured. The methodology used was an empirical version of theGordon–Schaefer bioeconomic model previously employed to estimate Sweden’s wildboar population. The Effort variable for the model was modified in that traffic accidentsrelative to traffic density served as a proxy for it. The study investigated years for whichdata was available, namely 2004–2017. Nineteen out of Sweden’s 21 Counties wereincluded in the study. The result produced extremely high population estimates,suggesting that the model could not be directly transferred from wild boar to moose.Nonetheless, although the study’s population estimates in absolute terms are unrealistic,their relative sizes indicate that moose populations were somewhat smaller in 2017 thanin 2012 – the latter year being when the new management system was introduced.However, the trend line shows that, over a longer period, the moose population hasincreased in Sweden, and 2017 may just be a temporary deviation from that trend. Itappears, therefore, that Sweden’s latest moose management system does not have thedesired effect on its moose population.