The environment minister's recent comment that the moose population on the Avalon Peninsula is "frighteningly low" does not sit well with the Save Our People Action Committee (SOPAC).
Less than a dozen members of the group, which advocates for government action to prevent moose-vehicle collisions, gathered in front of the Confederation Building on Wednesday to voice their latest concerns.
"If you've done the statistics, let us know and let us see them," said SOPAC co-chair Lucy Stoyles, who suspects government does not have any concrete figures on the present population.
Stoyles said government is giving members of the public a false hope that while driving on the island, people should be less fearful of coming across a moose.
"That's not the case, because there were two or three moose accidents this past weekend, and this is the prime time of year, starting in April to June, when most accidents happen," she said.
At a St. John's East Rotary Club event on March 23, Minister of Environment and Conservation Terry French told attendees the province's moose population is declining.
For more on this story, read Thursday's edition of The Telegram.
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As an avid outdoors person, moose are most definitly on the decline. I spend a lot of time on the Northern Peninsula, mainly in the St. Anthony area, and Main Brook/Roddickton area. I am very confident in saying the moose population has decreased by at least 50% in the last 10 years. The # of moose in this area now is less than what it was in 1995. It probbaly has something to do with the Gov constantly increasing #licenses, and over the last 4 years, they have been issuing 400 cow only lisense in the St. Anthony area. Not to mention the the additional 800 licenses. And anyone who has any common sense knows that Cow only licenses will not work, unless they want to eliminate the animal from the area. For example, killing 1 Cow moose is the equivalent of killing 6-7 Bull moose (With ergards to moose population impact)