The population was 12 to 14 during the last Michigan Tech survey in winter 2020. The latest births would indicate it is higher now, but some older wolves may have died.
Since 1959, a research team has spent most of the winter observing the interplay between wolves and moose at Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior. But this year’s mission has been scrapped to protect the scientists and support personnel from possible exposure to the virus.
They’ve also achieved a primary goal of the reintroduction initiative by reducing the park’s moose herd, which has become too big for its own good, researchers with Michigan Technological University said.
The remote island in Lake Superior said it’s delaying the summer opening because of coronavirus restrictions. Camping might become available by late June or July but there will be no ferry service.
There could be more than 2,000 moose on Isle Royale. Wolves are the main predator, but the wolf population is struggling.
Officials plan to relocate a total of 20 to 30 wolves from Canada, Michigan and Minnesota to the park over several years, including the animals that have already been taken there. Wolves prey on moose that can damage the island’s vegetation.
But as they continue to take a bite out of their food source at the Great Lakes national park, growth of herd expected to at least slow in the coming year. Wolf relocation effort also could help curb numbers.
The latest arrivals join eight existing wolves.
The translocation boosted the park’s wolf total to eight – four males and four females – including the last two survivors of a dwindling population that had occupied the park for about 70 years.
The female wolf crossed over an ice bridge formed by the recent polar vortex en route to an area close to Grand Portage, where she was translocated from in early October 2018.
(National Park Service)A 60-year-old study of wolves and moose at Isle Royale National Park is back on track after being derailed by the partial government shutdown, and enough private funding has been raised to ensure the work will go on even if federal agencies are idled again, officials said. Scientists and support personnel were rushing to salvage what usually is…
Officials say the other three relocated wolves are doing well.
Four wolves hailing from extreme northeastern Minnesota already are consuming moose carcasses on the Lake Superior island.
(National Park Service)HOUGHTON, Mich. — Officials at Isle Royale National Park say they’ve wrapped up the first phase of a multi-year effort to rebuild the gray wolf population. Three females and one male were trapped on the Minnesota mainland in recent weeks and flown to the Lake Superior park. Another died during transit. Two other wolves were already at the…
Officials say another gray wolf captured in Minnesota for relocation to the park has died “despite the best efforts of the attending veterinarians” after being trapped, sedated and driven to a holding facility for a medical exam.
With wolves dying out, federal officials announce plan to relocate 20-30 from the mainland to the Lake Superior archipelago over the next several years, starting as early as this fall.
Plan will send 20-30 gray wolves to Isle Royale National Park in Michigan over three years to replenish a population that has nearly died out because of inbreeding and disease.
(National Park Service)DETROIT — Federal data show that tourism to Michigan’s national parks has increased. Figures from the National Park Service show that tourism is up more than 5 percent at the state’s national parks through July, The Detroit News reported. The parks have seen a record number of visitors over the last two years. Reports show that Michigan parks…
That core population area is estimated at 378 animals, up from 285 in 2015, but moose hunt in Michigan is not currently being considered.
With decline of wolves, moose population explodes on Isle Royale National Park. But the fear is many of those moose could starve to death.
The worry is that, without a predator like wolves, moose numbers will continue to skyrocket and the animals will decimate the forest on the island — and with fast-growing numbers, that a good many of them will starve to death.
National Park Service is considering four options for the remote Michigan park — two that would include adding wolves, one that could eventually mean more wolves and one that would let nature take its course.
National Park Service is considering four alternatives — two that would include relocating wolves to Isle Royale, and two that would mean doing nothing, basically letting nature take its course regarding the dwindling wolf population at the park.
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