Overview

• The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation humanely euthanized the roughly 6-foot bull moose after wildlife experts deemed its advanced disease and emaciation made recovery unlikely.
• Goodman Mountain Trail in the Horseshoe Lake Wild Forest has been closed since June 6 to safeguard both hikers and the ailing moose during monitoring efforts.
• Wildlife biologists and a state wildlife veterinarian documented progressive health deterioration through trail cameras and in-person site visits near Tupper Lake.
• Dr. Jennifer Bloodgood of Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine will conduct a necropsy to determine the factors behind the moose’s decline and gather insights on emerging threats.
• DEC will study the animal’s foraging behavior and habitat use in the area before removing barriers and reopening the trail to inform future wildlife management.