Moose endangering national park's forest

The moose at Terra Nova National Park in Newfoundland and Labrador are eating themselves out of home and habitat.

One fifth of the park is at risk of evolving from a boreal forest to open fields filled with shrubs, and the moose are to blame.

"The forest hasn't regenerated, largely because of the impact of the moose," biologist John Gosse said. "They've been continually browsing the balsam fir and the hardwood."

By contrast, a fenced-off area that moose can'treach is heavily wooded.

Park manager Kevin Robinson said he prefers to let nature take its course when it comes to wildlife — but this trend poses a serious threat to the park.

"It's reached the point that we have to look at intervening and see what we can do to remedy the situation," he said.

One possible solution is blocking the moose from certain parts of the park, he said.