Moose sex corridor for endangered population expands to 1,200 hectares

The Nature Conservancy of Canada has added more than 95 hectares to its so-called moose sex corridor that aims to keep Nova Scotia's wildlife connected to the wider world.

The three new acquisitions are near Amherst, bringing the size of the preserved wilderness area on the Chignecto Isthmus to almost 1,200 hectares.

Nova's Scotia's mainland moose population is endangered, with an estimated 500 to 1,000 animals, many of them on the Chignecto Isthmus, the land bridge connecting Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

New Brunswick has a healthier population and is a potential source of mates for the Nova Scotia moose.

"From an ecological, conservation and biological perspective, maintaining a connected landscape for large mammals to move freely between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia is incredibly important for the long-term health of wildlife populations, in particular for the endangered mainland moose," Craig Smith, the conservancy's program director for the province, said in a statement. 

"The vital habitat along the border is becoming increasingly fragmented by roads, urban development and agriculture so we are very pleased to be able to conserve these valuable and strategically located properties."

Lynx, bobcat

The new properties border a provincially designated wilderness area and include both mixed forest and wetlands. The area is important to many species of birds and for large mammals, including lynx, bobcat and moose.

One the properties was donated through the federal government's Ecological Gifts program, which gives tax incentives to people or corporations that donate ecologically significant land.