Minnesota
Minnesota’s moose population officially stands at 3,470, down from 8,840 in 2006
ELY, Minn. — Every year, biologists take flight to count moose in Minnesota, and now they’ve released their latest figures. The Minnesota moose population has stayed relatively stable at 3,470 in 2024. But that’s a far cry from where it stood less than two decades ago.
The figures from 2006 showed a robust population of 8,840 moose.
“Somewhere between 2009 and 2013 we cut our population in half. So we’ve been hovering around that 3,000 to 4,000 mark for quite some time,” said DNR Moose Survey Coordinator Nancy Hansen.
READ MORE: Moose spotted in southern Minnesota, hundreds of miles from natural habitat
The state’s moose are largely clustered in the Arrowhead region. They tend to stay within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and areas inland from the North Shore of Lake Superior.
“We’re hoping we can at least maintain our population that we have and not drop any further,” said Hansen.
To do that, Hansen says we need to build more moose habitat, something that is currently in the works with larger projects to turn up to 50,000 acres at a time back into moose havens.
Despite the relatively stable results, DNR researchers say moose are at risk when you consider long-term trends like climate change, parasites and predation.
And even though pregnancy rates are strong, calf survival continues to be an issue.
“Calf survival is really critical to growing the population,” said Hansen.
It’s something many hope can happen if experts strategically intervene.
Less snow also means better tick survival rates. They can swarm moose by the tens of thousands. The blood loss, with other factors, can be deadly or at least make it harder to produce viable calves.
WCCO found a stretch of the Superior National Forest that was scorched by the Greenwood Fire in 2021. It didn’t look very picturesque to the news crew on the ground, but to a moose, it’s an ideal setting for grazing. They prefer new growth and the vegetation that grows right after wildfires, logging or severe weather blowdowns.
Despite the threat we all face in this warming climate, the work will continue to hold on to the natural wonders we’re lucky to have and to build a new future where our largest wild animal thrives.
Taiyon Coleman has been writing since she was a child. At age eight, she announced to her family that a novel was in the works.
Today, she’s a published author and a professor of literature at St. Catherine University. But the road from there to here wasn’t as straight-forward as you might think.
Coleman joins host Kerri Miller on Big Books and Bold Ideas this week to talk about what happened in the in-between. Some of it is detailed in her new collection of personal essays, “Traveling without Moving: Essays from a Black Woman Trying to Survive in America.”
But the deeper story is held in Coleman’s body, in her voice, in her strength. Don’t miss this vulnerable and moving conversation about mothers and ancestors, writing and truth-telling and the power of being a teacher.
Guest:
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Minnesota
Valleyfair theme park to close for unprecedented Minnesota flooding, not offering refunds to guests
Valleyfair theme park in Minnesota is not offering refunds despite closing down three rides and the entirety of its parking options due to flooding.
The amusement park, located between the Minnesota River and Blue Lake, flooded in areas below “the crest” according to a release from Valleyfair.
On an FAQ page, Valleyfair states that “Projections show that the Minnesota River will crest on Saturday, June 29. We do not yet know how long it will take for the river to recede to normal levels as that depends on the weather.”
BEAR EUTHANIZED AFTER INJURING TENNESSEE THEME PARK CONCESSION STAND EMPLOYEE
Popular rides Excalibur, Thunder Canyon and Renegade are impacted by the flooding and are closed. Additionally, almost the entirety of on-site parking has been flooded.
Buses will be provided free of charge by Valleyfair for guests from the Canterbury Overflow Lot, Eagle Creek Park and Ride, and Southbridge Crossing Park and Ride.
A rollercoaster at Valleyfair amusement park in Minnesota is underwater after heavy flooding across the midwest. (Valleyfair)
Operating hours have been changed from 10:00am to 9:00 pm until further notice, and a “temporary gate entrance” is in use. Re-entries to the park are highly discouraged.
Per Valleyfair’s FAQ page, “There will be no re-entry during the flood-impacted days for all guests, including season passholders, due to the very limited space and capacity at the temporary park entrance.”
Valleyfair amusement park in Minnesota is not offering refunds to guests due to flooding from heavy rainfall. (KMSP)
A Fourth of July fireworks show slated for next week has also been rescheduled for “later this season,” with no official scheduled date as yet.
Refunds are not being offered by Valleyfair amusement park at this time, given their weather impact policy: “Valleyfair does not offer refunds for tickets impacted by weather, unless the guest selected the Ticket Insurance option.”
“We do, however, offer guests the opportunity to choose another similarly priced date should they wish to move their visit to another day by using our Guest Portal,” the statement reads.
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Valleyfair did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
ROSEVILLE — A lottery player in Baxter is Minnesota’s newest multi-millionaire.
A ticket worth $2,045,590 was sold at Orton’s Baxter Holiday, 5610 Fairview Road, for the Wednesday, June 26, Gopher 5 drawing. The win earns the store a $5,000 bonus.
The winning Gopher 5 numbers drawn on June 26 are 16-29-35-43-46.
The previous Gopher 5 record was $2,032,201 and won on a ticket purchased at Steve’s Corner in St. James on Nov. 8, 2005. The prize was claimed by a group of 22 co-workers from the Watonwan County Highway Department/Public Works Department.
The prize must be claimed at Minnesota Lottery headquarters in Roseville. It is recommended that winners
call ahead to check hours and to make an appointment
.
Unless the winner chooses to opt in to publicity, their name and city will not be released. As of Sept. 1, 2021, the names and cities of lottery prize winners above $10,000 are private data.
Gopher 5 is a Minnesota-only lotto game. Each ticket costs $1 to play. Jackpots start at $100,000 and grow until won. The overall odds to win a Gopher 5 jackpot are 1 in 1,533,939. Drawings take place every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Tickets must be purchased by 6:10 p.m. on drawing days.
Visit
www.mnlottery.com
for more information and official rules.
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