I understand the motivation for this merge, and see the logic in it. As a non-geneticist / non-taxonomist, I can't really argue the point on technical grounds. It was just a surprise to me to find discrepancies between data on iNat and my understanding of the genetic distinctness of our mainland Nova Scotia moose population I gained while working on the board of a local conservation group. Please see the excerpt from our NS gov't website below explaining the status & history of the A. alces americanus subspecies in the area, as that's the reference point I started from.

So, having this expectation I'd find the genetic distinctiveness of our mainland moose represented in the iNat data, I was surprised and a bit dismayed to find it was fully represented before this merge, but now is no longer. As of the merge, when a site user checks the S1 status of A. alces americanus in NS, & number of observations in NS, it's no longer immediately apparent that the mainland population is really in trouble, in spite of those numbers. It takes going to the map to see the red area does not extend to Cape Breton, and that the vast majority (all but 1!) of A. alces americanus observations are in Cape Breton, whereas there's only 1, to date, in mainland Nova Scotia. Before the taxon merge, the picture was clearer. More info about that from our provincial website below.

Habitat loss (particularly fragmentation) impacting species like A. alces americanus (now indistinguishable from the distinct Cape Breton A. alces andersoni) has been a key argument for more extensive protection of areas. We hope this will ensure the last remaining corridors for mainland moose are not lost. I doubt if this reason is sufficient justification to undo the merge, as I understand the aims of science are at cross-purposes here with other worthy goals (political & conservation goals), but I wanted to at least offer my perspective as a footnote on the merge for posterity. I don't know if there's a better way to represent the data on the website that both makes taxonomists happy, but also serves these other goals, or if the map really is sufficient, but I think it's a bit too easy to end up confused or misled the way things are now. Even a little more of an explanation on the "Status" tab might be helpful, but all I found was links that took me offsite where I got lost very quickly, and didn't end up seeing how to bridge that disparity between large numbers of observations and the conservation status in NS.

Thanks,
Ben Armstrong
Secretary, Woodens River Watershed Environment Organization (https://www.wrweo.ca)

https://novascotia.ca/natr/wildlife/sustainable/mmoosefaq.asp#mm2

What is the difference between mainland moose and Cape Breton moose?

The mainland moose and the Cape Breton moose are two separate sub-species. On the mainland, the moose are Alces americana and in Cape Breton the species is Alces andersonii. The original indigenous population of Alces americana in Cape Breton was extirpated in the late 1800's - early 1900's. The cause of this extirpation remains unknown. The current population in Cape Breton started from the introduction of 18 Alces andersonii moose from Alberta in 1947 and 1948. The moose from the mainland are native to eastern North America.
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How many moose are found on Cape Breton? What is the mainland population?

The Cape Breton Island population currently numbers about 5,000 animals. The mainland moose population is estimated at 1,000 animals or less. Aerial and ground surveys have been used to estimate the moose population.

Why is the moose population endangered in mainland Nova Scotia?

There are a number of threats to the mainland moose population. These include disease (i.e. P. tenius (brainworm), illegal kill (i.e. poaching), calf predation by black bears, habitat alteration and increased access, disturbance and possibly climate change and acid rain.