DULUTH — Even though the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources canceled the sport moose hunt this year, experts say the herd continues to decline because of disease, injury and predators.

Researchers in northeastern Minnesota have found more than two-thirds of young moose they tracked died in their first four months of life. Of 49 calves fitted with GPS collars in May, just after they were born, 11 died of complications of their capture and four slipped out of their collars. Twenty-four of the remaining 34 calves being tracked died in less than four months.

DNR moose researcher Glen DelGiudice said predators are the leading cause of death for young calves. He said as they get older, their chances of survival increase.