Wolf pups as young as these are entirely absent from Isle Royale National Park. With only three wolves left, it is unlikely anyone will hear the plaintive howl of a young wolf anytime soon on the island unless the National Park Service chooses to reintroduce them.
With three wolves left on Isle Royale, many wildlife researchers would like to see more brought to the island so that a balance can be restored between the moose and wolves.
Currently there is an estimated 1,250 moose on the 571,790-acre island, but with no predators, the population is expected to grow annually by 20 percent until the animals run out of food and suffer from disease and starvation.
Isle Royale National Park Superintendent Phyllis Green said that the Park Service has been weighing the pros and cons of returning wolves to the island, but the process may take another two to three years.
Some biologists say the wolves should be left alone, and if more walk across ice bridges that form between the mainland and the island, that will be nature’s way of bringing wolves back. Others say the wolves on the island have been impacted and hurt by man in a variety of ways, including global warming, and we are largely responsible for their demise and therefore are obligated to restore the population. Joining the ranks of those folks are four U.S. senators who have called on the National Park Service to hurry up with their review process.
When asked about this political pressure and the national park’s view on reintroducing animals to a national park, Green responded.
“Since we have not had an opportunity to respond to the senators directly, it would be inappropriate for me to respond to the media at this time pertaining to their request for an expedited review and planning process,” Green said.
However she did answer some other News-Herald questions.
“There have been re-introductions in other areas of the country. The circumstances vary: in the Grand Canyon condors as a species were threatened with extinction when we removed the remaining birds, initiated a captive breeding program, and reintroduced the off-spring.
“In the case of Yellowstone, where humans had directly led to extirpation (local extinction), we re-introduced wolves. But two factors are very different. Yellowstone is not an island and there are public lands in the greater Yellowstone area for pack dispersal and recruitment, and Yellowstone has no designated wilderness, which has a higher standard for interventions.
“That doesn’t mean that intervention can’t be attempted, but it does mean you need to address impacts. Pack dispersal onto private lands continues to be controversial at Yellowstone and human management of wolves outside parks continues to escalate the concern over wolves.
“The decision for the Isle Royale situation will be precedence setting in the sense that climate change is affecting most, if not all the parks, and the Park Service will have to be judicious about where we can make a difference and at what cost to the American tax payer and what benefit to the environment.
“The planning process, which will soon be announced, will examine all these factors and others. The public is welcome to voice an opinion on the issue.”
The Isle Royale Park’s general number is (906) 482-0984. Mail can be sent to: 800 East Lakeshore Drive, Houghton, Michigan, 49931-1896.
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