India, Oct. 27 -- A century ago, moose were not part of the landscape of Newfoundland. Today, they are so deeply woven into the island's identity that it can be easy to forget they arrived there through deliberate human intervention. The animals were brought in with hopes of creating a new big-game hunting opportunity and supporting the island's developing interior economy.

According to Newfoundland and Labrador's 2022-2026 Moose Management Plan, four moose were brought from New Brunswick and released near Howley in western Newfoundland in 1904. The animals found abundant food and few natural checks, allowing their numbers to rise rapidly. The provincial plan estimates that the island's population may have reached 150,000 by the late 195...