Michigan’s Endangered State Flag: 3 Species Nearly Wiped Out

In case you've forgotten the hours you spent studying the Great Seal, the Coat of Arms, or the State Flag of Michigan, they feature three animal species: an elk, a bald eagle, and a moose.

Based on their presence, one could easily assume that the population of each of these animals is plentiful in Michigan. I've lived in Michigan my entire life, and I've been lucky enough to see a bald eagle on more than one occasion, but I've never laid eyes upon a Michigan elk or moose.

Related: Michigan's Deer Population 2nd Highest in US, and It's a Problem

Though their numbers are alarmingly low, each has a small population. However, there were significantly more when the Coat of Arms was adopted at a Michigan Constitutional Convention in 1835. Ironically, it was nearly a carbon copy of the Hudson Bay Fur Company logo.

The animals featured would be overhunted, and logging would almost eliminate their environment. Recent conservation efforts have attempted to restore populations of Michigan's Coat of Arms animals, yet the numbers remain far below their original populations.

Before modern Department of Natural Resources (DNR) estimates began, very little information on the number of elk, moose, and bald eagles was available. However, each population of the larger animals was described as bountiful, and bald eagle sightings were a regular occurrence before Michigan was settled. That, obviously, isn't the case today.

The Current Population of Michigan's 'Coat of Arms' Animals: Elk

Let's work our way left to right across the Michigan Coat of Arms and start with the elk. Though an abundant population existed before 1875, the species had nearly been eradicated from Michigan by overhunting and logging. The elk herd in Michigan now dates back to 1918, when seven animals were brought in from western states to repopulate the species.

Related: Michigan’s Bear is Population Growing, Harvest Declines Slightly

By 1964, those seven elk multiplied, and it was estimated that there were over 1,500 in the state. A limited hunt was then enacted, but the poaching began right after the season, and the herd was thinned to just around 200 in a few years.  With much stricter regulations, a renewed conservation effort was adopted, resulting in Michigan's current elk population. Aerial surveys conducted in 2022 estimated the elk numbers to be over 850 but under 1,500. Wolverine, Michigan, is where the new herd was started, so if you're looking for elk, that's a great place to start.

The Current Population of Michigan's 'Coat of Arms' Animals: Bald Eagle

I've been lucky enough to see a bald eagle in Michigan on two occasions, both of which occurred on golf courses: Jackson's Ella Sharp Park and Deer Run in Hanover. Considering it's estimated that there are just 900 breeding pairs in the state, I consider myself lucky.

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Though 900 may not seem like a lot, it's up considerably from the estimated 51 breeding pairs in the state in 1951, according to GreatLakesNow.com. This federally protected species is slowly making a comeback in the Mitten State.

The Current Population of Michigan's 'Coat of Arms' Animals: Moose

Moose are massive creatures. Keep your distance if you're lucky enough to spot one in Michigan. Nearly wiped out in the mid to late 1800s, these giants are slowly making their presence known in Michigan. The DNR went on a moose counting mission in 2023 and estimated the population to be around 426. The actual number may be more or less, as Michigan moose tend to cover a 1,400 square mile area of the Upper Penisula in Marquette, Baraga, and Iron counties. The limited number of the species in the western portion of the UP was not counted.

Related: Michigan DNR Invasive Species Watchlist: Northern Snakehead

While overhunting and poor land management nearly wiped out all three species in Michigan's Great Seal, Coat of Arms, and state flag, modern-day conservation efforts are committed to repopulating the Mitten State.