North Shore residents are becoming accustomed to seeing wolves like this one. Although the wolf population in Minnesota has grown in recent years, wolf researchers John Vucetich and Rolf Peterson report that the wolf population on Isle Royale has dwindled to two.
Where is the pup? The yearling?
Nowhere to be found, but at least the parents appear to be alive, which would leave just two wolves remaining on Isle Royale.
John Vucetich, an associate professor of wildlife ecology at Michigan Technological University, and his colleague, Rolf Peterson, also a research professor at Michigan Tech, reported on February 4, 2016 to finding two sets of footprints in the slush of Lake Eva.
The researchers said it appeared, judging from the footprints, the wolves were exploring an active beaver pond.
Peterson and Vucetich have spent more than 20 years years taking part in a continuous moose/wolf predation study that began in 1958.
Every January the two researchers go to Isle Royale and conduct a six-week study, counting moose and wolves by air, examining habitat, collecting scat to study in the lab, studying carcasses, among many other things.
Wolf numbers peaked in 1980 when there were an estimated 50 on the island.
Those numbers plummeted to 14 following the introduction of canine parvovirus which wolves contracted following the visit of a dog—someone’s pet—to the island.
By 2006 the count rose to 30, and it looked like the population was stabilizing. But since then the numbers have fallen. In 2014 there were nine wolves, then three were counted last year, a mom, dad, and pup. But the pup looked to be in bad shape, having some abnormalities including a constricted waistline, deformed tail and hunched posture.
This year it doesn’t look like the pup made it through the early part of winter.
With the steep decline in wolves, the moose population has soared, growing about 250 each year. Last January there was an estimated 1,250. The count isn’t in yet for this winter, but with no predators to winnow their numbers, both Vuctetich and Peterson fear the moose will over-browse the island, growing in numbers until they eat all available food and then starve when the island is overpopulated.
According to the 57th annual Michigan Tech Winter Study report filed by Peterson and Vucetich last year, the scientists said only two options remain. One, do nothing and let the last few wolves die, or two, reintroduce wolves to the island.
A third option would be that wolves will walk out to the island on ice bridges, but more often than not, Lake Superior doesn’t freeze long enough to form an ice bridge from Canada—18 miles away—to the island.
Both researchers have lobbied to have wolves brought to Isle Royale to not only expand the gene pool but to restore the predator/prey balance to the island.
But other wildlife scientists feel man shouldn’t intervene, let nature take its course, and if the last wolves perish on the island, so be it.
Vucetich feels man has already intervened by bringing the canine parvovirus to the island, and by man-made global warming which is changing the environment and climate of the island.
Last summer the National Park Service published a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register announcing initiation of a Moose- Wolf-Vegetation Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement meant to provide direction for future management of moose and wolves on Isle Royale. But the process is slow, and includes comments and forums for the public to give their input.
When asked how the process was going, Isle Royale Superintendent Phyllis Green said, “There actually is nothing new occurring at this time. We are still reviewing an discussing public comments received, and doing a lot of background work.”
Meanwhile the last two wolves remain, a couple for life, hunters to the end, their tracks and howls soon to disappear if no help is forthcoming.
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