P07020

The existence of the Fiordland moose is a hugely controversial topic; many believe that the moose died off after the 10 were released in April 1910. I believe that the moose are out there even though since 1975 no moose has been seen or shot. Some sign and trail cam photos are showing up since the 1980’s, and that tells us that they’re still out there.

+

In 1910 at Supper Cove, at Dusky sound, 10 young Canadian moose were released into the New Zealand bush. They were supposed to be the grandest of the big game animals ever to be introduced, even though an earlier attempt at releasing the big game animal at Hokitika was a complete failure. Many of the seen moose were shot, the earliest known was in 1929 by E.J. Herrick in Seaforth valley, this ranges to the latest known with photographic evidence was in 1952 at Herrick creek, with 3 others being shot in the area. The last confirmed photos were also taken that year again at Herrick Creek. One speculated photo emerge in 1995 of a clearly definable shape of the body of an animal. It has never been confirmed as a moose although its body mass, colouration and stance does not fit with what is known about red deer. It instead fits in with everything known about Canadian Moose.

+

The Fiordland area has been searched dozens of times for the extraordinary creature. One man, Ken Tustin, has spent the best part of his life in search of any trace of a Moose. Early in 2000 he and his wife Marg unearthed samples of fresh Moose hair which were taken to Ag Research for DNA testing, which revealed that the hair did indeed belong to the elusive Fiordland Moose. Tustin has also logged in 5000 days of trail cam usage capturing images of around 2000 red dear and the single, probably female, Moose taken in 1995.

+

Frauds still continue to try to gain the $100,000 Bounty for proof of the Moose, carcasses and photos are the only acceptance. In 1971 a Te Anau shooter claimed to have downed a Bull Moose and told Southland Times he had seen a Cow with a Calf. This lead to an official 70 day investigation in the area that turned out dry. This was a huge blow to the Moose suporters, but Ken Tustin has stayed in there. Between 1975 and1980 Red Deer kulling was governments and the scarce food, a problem that the red deer population had been creating, became more readily available to the Moose. During this period the sign of Moose drastically increased, turning over hundreds of prints and cast antlers. “Millions of deer in New Zealand don’t make a sound and it’s hard to find them, what makes you think finding a smaller group of quieter animals will be easy” says Tustin.

                                                +

We know the Moose is still out there, they’re hiding in small groups somewhere in Fiordland. The $100,000 bounty remains untouched, but if anyone deserves it it is definatly Ken Tustin, the man who gave up everything to find the elusive Fiordland Moose.