After more than 50 years of study of the Michigan grey wolves living on Isle Royale, the Michigan Technological University researchers have announced that the population has dropped due to travel, death and other issues to only three: a mated pair and one pup. This is a decline from 9 wolves last year, and about 50 back when the study first began.
The discovery occurred during the yearly winter survey of the Isle Royale, thus prompting the scientists’ fear that the Isle Royale Michigan grey wolves are at the brink of becoming extinct. Isle Royale is one of the islands of the Great Lakes, located in the northwestern part of Lake Superior in Michigan. It is one of 450 small islands that are part of the Isle Royale National Park, and is 45 miles long and nine miles wide.
Weather, Isolation, Causes of Loss of Michigan Grey Wolves
Since the Michigan grey wolves came to Isle Royal 50 years ago, things like the supreme isolation, weather, and inbreeding have been some of the causes that have brought the current population down to only three wolves. It is thought that the wolves made their travel to the island by crossing over frozen ice on the lake.
As recently as 2009, it was thought that there were 24 Michigan grey wolves living on the island, however, every year this number has continued to fall. Scientists have tried to get the National Park Service to introduce more wolves into the mix to add to the gene pool, but with the finding of only three wolves this year, they say it may already be too late to save the Michigan grey wolves.
Moose Population Grows as Wolves Disappear
The Michigan grey wolves help keep down the island’s moose population as its top predator. Over the past several years, the moose population has grown to nearly 1,200. The fear is that the moose population will become high enough that the local foliage and trees will start to suffer if the wolves are no longer there to prey on the moose.
In the past, new wolves have been seen to travel to the island via ice bridges to help keep the moose population down to manageable amounts, but in the last few winters there hasn’t been as many ways for new wolves to get to Isle Royale. Scientists were hopeful when two Canadian wolves were seen to travel into the area this past February, but they did not remain there and returned to Canada.
Scientists have tried to figure out what happened to the Michigan grey wolves living on the island, as six disappeared last year. One of these wolves had a radio collar and was found dead, and while it is not known for sure the fate of the other 5 it is believed they must have died or left the island.
The bottom line is that a decision must be made as to the fate of the Michigan grey wolves and the public is going to be invited to travel to a yet to be announced meeting date to talk about the future of Isle Royal’s wildlife and foliage.
