With only three wolves remaining on Isle Royale and the moose numbers rapidly increasing, some wildlife researchers are asking for wolves to be reintroduced to the island by the National Park Service to restore a healthy predator/prey balance. Without this being done, it is feared the moose will over browse the vegetation, damaging the ecosystem and then starve when they run out of food.
While the moose population has crashed on the mainland, just 17 miles off the Grand Portage shore on Isle Royale the moose population has gone from 250 in 2010 to 1,250 in 2015.
With three wolves left on the island—a male, female, and a 9-monthold pup—noted Michigan Technological University biologists John Vucetich and Rolf Peterson say more wolves need to be reintroduced before the moose population gets entirely out of control.
The two wildlife ecologists have spent much of their academic careers looking at the relationship between moose and wolves on the 206-square-mile island, continuing the work of other noted Michigan Tech researchers in a continuous project that spans back to 1959 which makes it the longest predator/prey study ever conducted.
Four U.S. senators agree with Vucetich and Peterson. U.S. senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan were joined by senators Mazie K. Hirono (Hawaii) and Martin Heinrich (New Mexico) in a letter to Jonathan Jarvis, director of the National Park Service, asking the federal government to reintroduce wolves to the island before the moose overrun it, destroying vegetation and suffering their own crash.
“An extinction of wolves at Isle Royale could lead to significant, harmful changes to the ecosystem in this remote park. The three remaining wolves may struggle to reproduce, and if they do produce offspring, the tiny genetic pool will lead to inbreeding and further complications. Unless the NPS acts quickly, wolves are almost sure to disappear from Isle Royale,” the senators wrote.
The National Park Service is planning a review that could take two to three years. Isle Royale Superintendent Phyllis Green said in 2014 the National Park (NPS) Service formed a panel of experts to look at climate change and wolf genetics on the island, but they were two to three years away from making a decision.
That’s too long, say the senators. They have asked for emergency steps that include bringing in more wolves sooner, rather than later.
However, this is a move that is controversial because some wildlife biologists say let nature run its course. They point to ice bridges that formed the last two winters between the mainland to the island.
Two winters ago a female wolf walked from the island to Grand Portage where she was killed by a pellet from an air rifle. Last winter two wolves walked from the mainland to the island and spent almost a week roaming around before walking back across the ice. It is believed wolves originally got to the island by walking across ice bridges, so as long as that is an option, some wildlife researchers say that is the only way wolves should get back on the island because it is natural.
“What counts as natural?” Vucetich asked. “It’s clear as a bell that humans have had a heavy hand in driving wolves nearly to extinction on Isle Royale. The wolf population crashed in the 1980s after a canine virus was introduced after someone brought their dog to the island.
“Then there is climate change. That is manmade. Right now we don’t have a vision for how to manage national parks in the face of climate change. When humans shot all of the wolves in Yellowstone. …When they shot, trapped and poisoned them until they were all gone, it took some years to reintroduce the wolves, but they did reintroduce them to the park.
“Climate change is harder to get your mind around because you aren’t shooting the wolves. And in any case, there might not be anything we can do about all of the effects of climate change. When a glacier melts, it’s gone.”
But humans can reintroduce wolves. “It’s just a matter if we have the will to do so,” said Vucetich.
As for moose, Vucetich said that in the last four years they have increased their population by 22 percent annually. “I don’t see anything that will stop them from doubling their population again in the next four years,” said Vucetich. “Even with the last two severe winters they weren’t hurt. Right now and in the foreseeable future they have a lot of food and no predation. In the next four to eight years there could be irreparable harm done to the forest by over browsing. Will the moose eventually run out of food and starve? I don’t see any other way it will end unless wolves—or hunting—are brought to the park.”
Lastly, Vucetich said Isle Royale is a one-of-a-kind place in the world where a predator/prey study can be conducted. He said a mix of wolves and moose serve to keep the island healthy.
The loss of a top predator like wolves allows herbivores like moose to decimate plants and trees. This affects both birds and bugs that lose their place in the ecosystem when their nesting places or food sources are destroyed by moose.
If wolves disappear the predator/prey study conducted by Michigan Tech will end.
As for the plea from the senators, Vucetich said it is nice, but he is skeptical of getting any quick help from the government. Four years ago the National Park Service was told of the dire plight of wolves on Isle Royale, said Vucetich, and one year ago they said they were going to form a committee to study the issue. Now they say they are two to three years away from making a recommendation. They are moving too slowly, said Vucetich.
“The remaining wolves on Isle Royale could be gone by winter. Then again, they could live another five or six years. But if nothing is done soon, I fear it will be too late,” said Vucetich.
The senators asked for a response to their request by July 1, 2015.
Vucetich and Peterson would like to see several packs of wolves brought to the island soon. And whether they walk over on an ice bridge or are brought to the island by boat, Vucetich said either way would be the right way.
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