Missing Moose
With the largest moose population in the lower 48, the state of Maine has earned the reputation of being the best place to view moose in the wild. Every magnet, sticker, and t-shirt in every shop advertises their presence, and Acadia is not exempt from this trend. Therefore, when visitors to Acadia ask about the best places to see moose inside the park, they are rightly disappointed when they find out there are none to be found.
There are several reasons why there is no established population of moose in Acadia. First, the geography of Mount Desert Island (MDI), where the majority of Acadia is located, is not desirable to a moose. The only ways to access the island are to walk across the motor road bridge or to swim. While moose are proficient swimmers, they are deterred by strong currents and the island’s mudflats. In addition, there are limited areas on the island in which moose would thrive, and because of their large size there would not be enough room to support a population. Ranger Dusty Warner, one of Acadia’s veteran rangers, has only seen 3 live moose in the 20 years he has worked here. These moose were all transients; in other words, they had wandered over and did not stay on the island for very long. A visit to the Schoodic peninsula to the east may provide a slightly higher chance of seeing moose, simply because it is connected to the mainland. However, moose typically stay further inland and to the north, where the land is less interrupted by human activity. For those seriously interested in seeing a moose, a trip north to Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is your best option.
