Environment/Ecology/Nature

Minnesotans Asked to Collect Dead Loons

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Minnesotans are being asked to gather dead loons to help biologists learn the bird’s main causes of death in a statewide study sponsored by the state’s Department of Natural Resources.

Will Oil Spill Impact Loon Numbers?

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With the ice now out on most Quetico-Superior area lakes, experts are wondering if the region’s common loon population will have been impacted last year’s Gulf of Mexico Oil spill.

Sturgeon Research Headlines VNPA Event

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Voyageurs National Park ecologist Steve Windels will offer insights into research on Lake Sturgeon at the Voyageurs National Park Association members and friends event on April 19 in Minneapolis.

Deer Herd Feeling Winter’s Impact

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The northeastern Minnesota deer herd is showing the impact of a harsh winter, according to Department of Natural Resources officialswho are finding dead deer around the region.

Bat Disease Causes Soudan Mine Concerns

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A disease responsible for the death of more than a million North American bats is a cause of concern for managers of Soudan Mine Mine State Park in northeastern Minnesota.

Moose Decline Continues in NE Minnesota

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The number of moose in northeastern Minnesota continues to fall, according to aerial survey results released by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The current population is now estimated at 4900 animals, down from the 5500 estimated last year.

Harsh Winter Tough on Deer Herd

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Cold temperatures and deep snow are beginning to have an impact on northern Minnesota’s deer herd, according to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources observations.

GPS-Collar Moose Study Underway

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In an on-going effort to understand the reasons behind decline in Minnesota’s moose population, a study using global positioning system technology to track the massive ungulates in underway.

Voyageurs Continues Collared Moose Study

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Nineteen adult moose will be captured and fitted with telemetry collars this month as part of a continuing project to investigate the potential effects of climate change and other factors on the long-term viability of moose in Voyageurs National Park.

McFarland Lake Shoreline Protected

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Nearly 1,200 feet of shoreline on McFarland Lake just outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness has been protected via a conservation easement facilitated by the Minnesota Land Trust.

Lawsuit Aims to Loosen Wild Rice Water Standards

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A lawsuit filed Friday by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce seeks to loosen water quality standards in areas where wild rice is grown, saying current regulations are too restrictive and based on faulty science.

Regional Deer Harvest Up 20%

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The number of deer harvested in northern St. Louis County during the recently concluded 16-day firearms deer season increased 20% from last year, according to Minnesota Deparment of Natural Resources statistics.

Endocrine Disruptors Found in Kabetogama

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Chemicals that cause endocrine system disruption in aquatic animals were found in Kabatogama Lake, one of the lakes that makes up Voyageurs National Park, according to a recent study.

Voyageurs Moose Study Seeks Answers

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A GPS-based research study on the moose that inhabit Voyageurs National Park seeks to unravel the knotty question of what exactly is causing the decline in the animal’s population in northeastern Minnesota.

Moose Hunters Find Success

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Despite warm temperatures during the start of the hunting season and a declining moose population, northeastern Minnesota moose hunters were more successful bagging animals this season than last year.

“Savannification” Still Expected in North Woods

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University of Minnesota forest ecologist Lee Frelich continues to foresee a transition from forest to savanna taking place at the margins of Minnesota’s north woods. Newly published research suggests that within the century, the climate and ancillary factors will make significant changes to the state’s prairie/forest border.

Freshwater Jellyfish Appear in Namakan Lake

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Tiny freshwater jellyfish have recently made a rare appearance in Namakan Lake along the Ontario border. The creature — Craspedacusta sowerbii — is the size of a small coin and typical shows itself toward the end of warm summers.

Small Fire Burning in BWCAW

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A small forest fire is burning south of the Gunflint Trail in a remote section of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the general vicinity of Long Island Lake.