Moose federation salvage program expands to Kenai

MAT-SU — As the Alaska Moose Federation prepares for its first full winter of salvaging moose killed on Southcentral roadways, the group is expanding its range.

Alaska Moose Federation has announced that in addition to contracting with Alaska State Troopers to remove moose carcasses from roads in Anchorage and the Mat-Su, it will also respond for road kill in the Kenai Peninsula.

“We didn’t plan to start operations in Kenai until next winter,” AMF executive director Gary Olson says in a press release announcing the expansion. “But with the outstanding volunteer support from the Kenai Peninsula chapter of Safari Club International, we were able to organize quickly and implement the program six months early.”

The moose salvage program began in the Anchorage area Jan. 1 and expanded to the Mat-Su in February. With approval from Alaska State Troopers and the state Department of Fish and Game, AMF responds to moose-vehicle collisions, collects the carcasses and delivers them to the charity next in line on the troopers’ approve list.

The program saves troopers time and means volunteer organizations no longer have to butcher the animals on the side of the road, Olson said in past interviews.

During its first winter in operation, the Anchorage Police Department reported a 2.5-hour per incident time savings with AMF salvaging killed moose.

Expanding to the Kenai Peninsula comes after AMF’s efforts in one of the snowiest winters on record for Alaska, which included a record number of moose-vehicle collisions. In the Mat-Su Valley, more than 455 moose were killed on roadways, well above the average of 270 reported by the Palmer Fish and Game office.

In addition to the impact on wildlife, winter road kill of moose can have a significant economic impact, Olson said. According to the state Department of Transportation, each collision costs an average of $35,000, which includes vehicle damage, treating injuries, loss of work and the cost of emergency responders. That puts an estimated economic impact of $15.9 million for Valley motorists.