Friday, January 13, 2006


Decided to post a few photos of our trips to the Great Northern Peninsula of our province in my next few blog posts.

Each year my wife and i make at least one trip to the Gros Morne National Park in our province.UNESCO (the United Nations' Educational, Scientific andCultural Organization) made it a World Heritage Site in 1987, this area of great natural beauty also has the greatest population density of moose recorded anywhere in the world.(the park has an area of 1,805 square kilometres and a moose population between 8,000 and 8,500).Moose were introduced to the Island of Newfoundland about 100 years ago and the population has now increased to an estimated 140,000 animals.{Check out NL-EXPATRIATES blog on the introduction of the moose to Newfoundland}This is what fasinates me the most about the area.We have driven through the park some mornings and saw over 50 in just a 30kilometer stretch of highway.

Locals have told me they have counted as high as 80 some mornings on the way to work on the same stretch.Moose have always fascinated me for some reason and for many years my close up viewing of them came through a rifle scope or when they lay dead on the ground shortly afterwards. Gros Morne lets me view them close up and now im enjoying them far better then when hunting. Vehicle-moose accidents are not uncommon on the island and a sign placed in the park reports the total and updates frequently.We usually visit Gros Morne in early May for moose photos and find dozens just posing along the roadside.They seem to have no fear and just ignore us as we shoot our photos.

3 comments:

NL-ExPatriate said...

MMM great pics thanks. I've actually been doing some investigating into moose farming. I did a blog a while back and even sent an email to the Poll iticians.

I've been checking out those digital camera binoculars lately. Think I'll wait until the price comes down in a year or so.

Your wife looks a little antsy there :)

Justin said...

I'd be antsy too, I've seen moose get a little beligerant when they feel threatened, best enjoyed from a distance. I prefer to enjoy moose rare with some sauteed mushrooms and toast. ;) Thanks a lot Wayne, now I'll have to dream about going to Newfoundland 4 wheeling, and moose hunting. Thank you for introducing me to a land that I knew absolutely nothing about until I "met" you, I'm fascinated every time I come here. All the best Wayne.

Fracture said...

Heh. She should be antsy. I grew up on the coast of BC. For bears in town they used to issue a warning. For moose bulls, they'd close the school.