Interesting statistic. One tough old cow.
Also, a 95% survival rate on the remaining collared moose in 2016.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/moose/adult.html#deathsTwelve years is a relatively old age for a moose yet she was healthy enough to become fertile, be bred and carry a healthy male fetus to term.
That's an accomplishment for a healthy moose but Moose 192 did this while suffering from three serious health problems:
A winter tick infestation causing major hair loss and anemia from blood loss
A liver fluke infection, one of the worst encountered so far in the study, that weakens moose and predisposes them to other illness
The presence of brainworm, severe infections of which cause circling, weakness in the hindquarters, inability to stand, turning of the neck and head to one side, lethargy, apparent blindness, loss of fear and rapid eye movement.
Despite these conditions, the cow settled down in late April to give birth. While calving, which made her extremely vulnerable, wolves attacked and inflicted massive injuries to her head and rump.
Moose 192 fought off her attackers though and, with her bull calf still in the birth canal, wandered about 1,000 yards north and laid down in a watery ditch along the roadside, tucking her front legs underneath. She likely drew her last breaths when under water as she and her unborn calf died.
The mortality study will consider Moose 192's official cause of death to be wolf kill. But facts gathered from the GPS collar and results of the necropsy show that this moose endured serious health conditions. Calving – not sickness – made her vulnerable to a wolf attack. But it's likely that health conditions eventually would have killed her.